Chinese Study Explores the Advantages of Carbon Fiber Reinforced PEEK With Intamsys

Researchers in China are exploring the power of short carbon fibers combined with high performance materials like PEEK using the most affordable 3D printing technology, FDM. Outlining their results in “Flexural Properties and Fracture Behavior of CF/PEEK in Orthogonal Building Orientation by FDM: Microstructure and Mechanism”, the authors show how such composites, like carbon fiber reinforced peek (CF-PEEK) can influence and disrupt multiple industries.

As discussed more and more lately, polymers like PEEK have an ever-increasing demand in industries like aerospace, automotive, oil & gas and the medical sector due to their unique strength and high heat resistance. In additive manufacturing though, layer adhesion is a common issue and PEEK extrusion is no exception. Even though the high performance polymer is known for its strength, compared to traditional manufacturing methods such as injection molding, additive manufacturing isn’t yet utilizing the material’s properties to the fullest. As a result, researchers are trying to combine it with other materials in order to enhance its strength and performance.

Carbon is a very popular material in industrial 3D printing due to its ability to enhance materials’ mechanical properties and strength. However, it still suffers from increased porosity and difficult layer adhesion. Therefore, the authors, Qiushi Li, Wei Zhao, Yongxiang Li, Weiwei Yang, and Gong Wang, decided to combine carbon fibers with PEEK and printing the end product within an orthogonal building orientation, and comparing it to the quality of parts made through injection molding.