The solubility and diffusion of water in poly(aryl‐ether‐ether‐ketone) (PEEK)

Abstract

Abstract The transport properties of water in neat poly(aryl‐ether‐ether‐ketone) (PEEK) coupons (2 to 6 mm thick) were investigated by gravimetric and mass spectrometric methods. The solubility of water increases from 0.44 wt.% at 35°C to 0.55 wt.% at 95°C; the temperature coefficient is 8 kJ/mol (1.9 kcal/mol). The diffusion processes for sorption, desorption, and resorption at 35°, 50°, 65°, 80°, and 95°C are, within experimental error, the same. The activation energy for diffusion is 42.7 kJ/mol (10.2 kcal/mol). The diffusion process is classical Case I Fickian in the temperature region investigated.