摘要
为满足聚醚醚酮(PEEK)应用于雷达天线、电路组件等产品的导电、焊接等功能特性,对具有极高化学惰性的PEEK进行硫酸磺化改性,并沉积Ni-P合金金属层,实现PEEK材料表面金属化。利用扫描电镜、激光共聚焦显微镜、接触角测试仪等对PEEK表面微观结构及镀镍层进行表征。磺化改性后PEEK表面呈现三维筛网状孔洞结构,且随浸蚀时间的延长,孔洞更加规则;硫酸改性后,基材表面粗糙度增大,亲水性增强。在进行化学镀镍时,Ni-P首先在三维网状孔洞结晶,并随着时间的延长,晶核二维生长至整个表面,最后生长成三维菜花状。镀层的结合强度随磺化时间的增加,焊点脱拉强度由3.2增至7.1 MPa。PEEK材料表面磺化改性及导电金属层的成功制备,可为其在雷达天线等领域的应用提供技术支撑。
聚醚醚酮(PEEK)是一种全芳香族半结晶性热塑性材料,具有优异的机械性
目前常用的PEEK表面改性方法有机械改性、激光表面改性、等离子体改性等,而这些改性方法均有一个明显的缺点:对基材的结构具有较高要求,不适用于存在深孔、深腔、凹槽等光束、离子束、喷丸等不易处理的结构特别复杂的基材。因此,化学浸蚀法是表面镀前改性的有效手段。文献[
本文采用硫酸对PEEK表面进行不同时间的浸蚀处理,形成三维筛网状的孔洞,并分析PEEK表面粗糙度和亲水性变化。结合化学镀镍技术,浸蚀后的PEEK表面镀覆连续致密的金属层,分析镀镍层生长过程及镀层结合强度。
(1)硫酸浸蚀:PEEK材料具有明显的化学惰性与憎水性,因此,对PEEK试样表面进行化学粗化处理。浸蚀后用去离子水充分清洗,去除表面残余的硫酸。对PEEK表面进行30、60、90和120 s的硫酸浸蚀。
(2)活化:将表面磺化处理后的试样进行活化处理,之后进行去离子水清洗。
(3)化学镀镍:将活化处理后的试样浸入化学镀镍溶液中沉积Ni-P合金,获得致密均匀的镍金属层。

图1 PEEK的外观照片和微观形貌
Fig.1 Appearance image of PEEK and its micro morphology
如

图2 PEEK硫酸浸蚀后的表面微观形貌
Fig.2 Micromorphology of PEEK after sulfuric acid etching
硫酸浸蚀不同时间后PEEK表面S元素分布如

图3 PEEK表面浸蚀硫酸后的S元素分布
Fig.3 Distribution of S element on PEEK surface after the sulfonation reaction
结合硫酸与PEEK之间的反应过程,进行分析。由于PEEK极高的化学惰性,只有在高浓度硫酸中,PEEK才可以发生反应。将PEEK浸入硫酸溶液中时,PEEK分子与硫酸发生磺化作用,使PEEK分子链上产生带电的磺酸基;PEEK分子链的羰基和苯环位置还会发生质子化作用(

图4 PEEK表面浸蚀硫酸发生的反应
Fig.4 Reaction of sulfuric acid etching on PEEK surface
硫酸刻蚀后PEEK表面的三维筛网状结构不仅增加了基材表面微观粗糙度,而且为活性粒子的附着和金属镀层与基材之间的嵌合提供了有效的结合位置,从而有利于镀层与基体之间形成高结合力的机械嵌合。
对不同时间硫酸处理后的PEEK材料表面粗糙度进行测试,并对测试后的数据进行分析,如

图5 PEEK表面硫酸浸蚀后表面轮廓度
Fig.5 The surface profile of the PEEK after the sulfonation reaction

图6 PEEK表面浸蚀硫酸后的表面粗糙度变化
Fig.6 The roughness of the PEEK after the sulfonation reaction
PEEK表面亲水性测试结果如

图7 PEEK表面浸蚀硫酸后的表面亲水性
Fig.7 The surface hydrophilicity of the PEEK after the sulfonation reaction

图8 PEEK表面化学镀镍微观形貌
Fig.8 The micro-morphology of electroless Ni-P coating on the PEEK
如

图9 PEEK镀镍层脱拉强度
Fig.9 Tensile strength test of Ni metal layer on the PEEK
PEEK材料表面金属层与基材之间具有优良的结合力,主要来自PEEK表面经硫酸浸蚀后,产生大量网络状的粗糙微结构,在化学镀镍的过程中,金属粒子在表面凹凸结构中沉积,并逐渐致密生长,从而使表面粗糙结构层与金属镀层之间形成了“锚固嵌合”的结构。这种结构使镀层与基体材料间形成了有效的机械结合,保证了镀层与基材之间良好的结合力。
对PEEK材料表面进行硫酸磺化改性处理,改性后的PEEK表面产生三维筛网状粗糙结构,对粗化后的PEEK材料表面化学镀镍,Ni-P首先在三维网状孔洞结晶,并随着化学镀时间的延长,晶核二维生长至整个基材表面,最后生长成三维菜花状结构。金属层与PEEK之间的结合强度随磺化时间的延长,焊点脱拉强度由3.2增大至7.1 MPa。PEEK材料表面金属层与基材之间良好的结合力主要归于PEEK表面经硫酸浸蚀后,产生大量网络状的粗糙微结构,在化学镀镍的过程中,金属在表面凹凸结构中沉积,并逐渐致密生长,从而使表面粗糙结构层与金属镀层之间形成了“锚固嵌合”的结构。这种结构使镀层与基体材料间形成了有效的机械结合,保证了镀层与基材之间良好的结合力。PEEK表面金属化技术的操作方法简单、成本低,结构适应性强,可实现PEEK表面金属镀层良好的导电性和镀层与基材之间优异的结合力,可为聚醚醚酮材料在雷达天线等航天领域的应用提供技术支撑。
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