Carbon fiber/poly ether ether ketone composites modified with graphene for electro-thermal deicing applications

Carbon fiber/poly ether ether ketone (Cf/PEEK) composites are a class of high performance, continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic polymer materials. These composites have the potential to meet demands for self-cleaning or deicing applications in the power supply industry in cold regions. In this study, the effect of graphene on the deicing performance of Cf/PEEK composites through electro-thermal Joule heating was investigated. First, graphene/PEEK composites with varying graphene content of up to 6 wt% were fabricated and characterized. Adding up to 5 wt% graphene was found to improve the electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and the crystallinity of PEEK. However, at a graphene content of 6 wt%, the crystallinity and thermal conductivity of the mixture decreased, likely due to agglomeration of graphene. Next, graphene modified Cf/PEEK composites (0 and 5 wt% graphene) with resin volume fractions of 40, 50, and 60 vol% were prepared by hot pressing. Graphene was found to increase the electrical conductivity of the composites by roughly 100%, and to improve the efficiency of converting Joule heating to useful deicing energy by up to 35%.