Ionic liquid assisted polyetheretherketone-multiwalled carbon nanotubes nanocomposites: An environmentally friendly approach
Funding information: Center of Research in Ionic Liquids (CORIL); University of Engineering and Technology (UET), New Campus, Lahore, Pakistan; Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan, Grant/Award Number: NRPU-9524
Abstract
Reinforcement of PEEK by nanoparticles such as multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), is a promising technique to prepare PEEK nanocomposites with improved properties for promising biomedical applications. However, proper dispersion of MWCNTs in the polymer matrices is a primary processing challenge. The present study reports a novel and environmentally beneficial approach for homogeneous dispersion of MWCNT in PEEK by using ionic liquid (IL) 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate ([EMIM][HSO4]). Neat PEEK, PEEK-MWCNTs (using conventional organic solvent dimethylformamide), and PEEK-MWCNTs-IL (using [EMIM][HSO4]) nanocomposites were fabricated via melt-compounding and compression molding techniques. The fabricated composites were characterized for morphological, thermal, and mechanical properties and compared to those of neat PEEK and PEEK-MWCNTs. Ionic liquid provoked proficient dispersion of the MWCNTs in PEEK, as confirmed by FESEM and optical micrographs. The thermal stability of PEEK-MWCNTs-IL composite was significantly superior to that of the neat PEEK and PEEK-MWCNTs. Analysis of tensile strength and nanoindentation depicted that the modulus of elasticity of PEEK-MWNCTs-IL was significantly increased by 76% as compared to that of neat PEEK. We believe that the present work could provide a new and green platform for the manufacturing of PEEK nanocomposites with enhanced dispersion of nanofillers for biomedical applications.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare that they have no known competing for financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests.
