Aging of poly(ether ether ketone) by heat and gamma rays - Its degradation mechanism and effects on mechanical, dielectric and thermal properties

In radiation research facility, where heat and radiation are two crucial factors inducing material degradation, highly stable materials are required. In the present work, various properties of poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) exposed to heat and gamma rays in air are instrumentally investigated. If PEEK is aged by heat and gamma irradiation in air, chemical bond scission, oxidation, crosslinking, and char formation occur as competing mechanisms. The temperature plays a decisive role in degradation, while the irradiation accelerates it. The mechanical properties deteriorate much earlier than the dielectric properties with the progress of aging. This means that the mechanical properties can be an important condition monitoring factor compared to the dielectric properties for PEEK-insulated apparatus or cables. If PEEK is aged severely, its electrical conductivity increases dramatically, whereas both real and imaginary parts of complex dielectric permittivity decrease, showing a marked contrast to many industrially important polymeric insulating materials.