Chemical Modification and Application of Pol（y ether ether ketone）

Abstract

Poly（ether ether ketone）（ PEEK） is one of the super engineering plastics with high thermal stability, and excellent mechanical properties, as well as great toughness and organic solvent resistance. On the other hand, PEEK has large disadvantages such as poor adhesion properties and low processability. For the improvement of these disadvantages of PEEK, the chemical modification methods of its surface and bulk have been suggested. However, the thermal stability and organic solvent resistance of PEEK make the chemical modification of PEEK difficult. From the reactivity of the chemical structure of PEEK, the chemical modification is categorized into two; one is a reaction of the aromatic rings and the other is a reaction at the carbonyl groups. The reaction of the aromatic rings is nucleophilic aromatic substitution such as Friedel Crafts reaction. Iminization, acetalization, reduction reactions and surface graft polymerization are included in the reactions at the carbonyl groups. These developments of the chemical modification of PEEK have led to the fundamental chemical analyses of PEEK for the deeper insight on its molecular behavior, the covalent bond adhesion with high adhesion strength, the increase of biocompatibility for the biomaterial application, and the demonstration of novel molding process of PEEK.