In recent years, continuous CF/PEEK composites have made frequent appearances at medical device trade shows and are beginning to make their presence felt in medical device companies. What are the unique advantages of this composite material that have attracted the attention of the medical device industry?
1. What is CF/PEEK?
Continuous CF/PEEK composite material is a composite material made of continuous carbon fiber CF as the reinforcement and PEEK as the matrix, both of which are molded through a high-temperature and high-pressure molding process to immerse the resin material into the carbon fiber and combine the two organically.
2, CF / PEEK performance
Compared to conventional continuous CF-reinforced epoxy resin-based composites, PEEK has a broader range of clinical applications and better performance. Epoxy resin as a typical thermosetting resin matrix, and PEEK compared to the existence of brittle, relatively low temperature resistance, while the poor hydrolysis resistance of epoxy resin, PEEK has very good hydrolysis resistance, itself epoxy resin elongation between 5-7%, while PEEK resin elongation of up to 20% or more, PEEK material high toughness to make up for the defects of epoxy resin. Good toughness, destined to the material fatigue resistance, good interlayer bonding, not easy to crack. Therefore, continuous CF-reinforced epoxy resin composites are widely used in medical surgical beds, fixed frames, bed materials, and not suitable for surgery used in the manufacture of orthopedic surgical instruments.
The PEEK resin matrix material alone has a long-term temperature resistance of 260°C or more, and the continuous CF/PEEK composite material will greatly improve the temperature resistance of PEEK materials. Relevant studies have illustrated that the temperature resistance of continuous CF/PEEK composites is close to the melting point of PEEK, which is 334°C. The high-temperature resistance and low hydrolysis properties make CF-PEEK materials make instrument products that can withstand repeated High-temperature, high-pressure, moist heat sterilization.
Compared to traditional aluminum and stainless steel materials, aluminum alloy density 2.8g/cm3, stainless steel density 7.3g/cm3, continuous CF/PEEK composite density in 1.5-1.6g/cm3, light weight, but high strength. The test results show that some of the performance of CF-PEEK has now exceeded that of stainless steel. Also continuous carbon fiber-reinforced PEEK has good X-ray transmission, making clinical procedures more intuitive and safe. The carbon fiber-reinforced material is also less cold to the touch than metal, making it more comfortable for doctors to hold during surgery.
Compared to traditional carbon fiber powder modified PEEK CF30 material, CF-PEEK's high strength and high modeling properties give the composite material high strength, modulus and resistance to deformation characteristics, mechanical strength is at least 3 times higher and modulus is also at least 3 times higher, giving it better dimensional stability and resistance to deformation.