An investigation of Polyether Imide (PEI) toughening of carbon fibre-reinforced Polyether Ether Ketone (PEEK) laminates

Current thermoset composite material systems have relatively low interlaminar fracture toughness, leaving them vulnerable to impact damage. While thermoplastic based systems are considered to be tougher, toughness levels can be dependent on processing parameters. In this study, Polyether imide (PEI) film layers were added to carbon fibre-reinforced Polyether ether ketone (CF/PEEK) laminate layups prior to consolidation to enhance the...