Dodging reality, striking the virtual: An undulating strategy for effectively enhancing CF/PEEK interfacial adhesion!

The design of carbon fiber (CF)-reinforced polyetheretherketone (PEEK) composite materials with suitable interfaces has consistently been challenging. In this study, we sulfonated poly (phthalazinone ether sulfone ketone) (PPESK) and PEEK to prepare water-soluble SPPESK and SPEEK. Subsequently, we prepared a water-soluble sizing agent (SPPESK/SPEEK) via a straightforward blending process. This sizing agent tended to accumulate randomly on the surfaces of CFs, forming a thin film with a heterogeneous structure in the nanoscale. At the molding temperature of the composite material, the two components on the fiber surface exhibited different rheological behaviors, with PEEK preferentially infiltrating the SPEEK region, forming strong molecular entanglements. Meanwhile, the SPPESK region provided a rigid supportive structure, offering the potential for the mechanical interlocking of PEEK in the interface layer. The performance of the prepared composite materials was significantly enhanced, with their interlaminar shear strength and flexural strength reaching 87.1 MPa and 975.8 MPa, respectively. With respect to those of commercial fiber-reinforced PEEK composites, an 89.8 % increase in interlaminar shear strength and a 79.39 % increase in flexural strength were observed. This interface reinforcement mechanism presents a universally applicable strategy for the future development of fiber-reinforced composite materials.