Thermal rounding for shape modification of high-performance polyetherketoneketone and reinforced polyetherketoneketone-carbon fiber composite particles

This study presents shape transformation of anisotropic high-performance thermoplastic polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) and carbon fiber reinforced powder composite particles (HT-23) by thermal rounding. The shape transformation is achieved by (partial) melting of the high-temperature thermoplast microparticles. Three different process setups are presented, investigating the impact of the source of heat supply on the resulting shape modification: using a directly heated sheath gas flow, an indirect heat supply through the reactor wall and a combined approach. Regardless of the chosen setup, a modification of the particle shape was observable. The most advantageous shape transformation was observed in the indirect heating approach. In addition, the enhanced shape transformation yields an improved free flow behaviour of the powders, as quantified by ring-shear experiments. Reductions of the unconfined yield strengths of the powders for high consolidation stresses as high as 18 percent for PEKK and 30 percent for the HT-23 are achieved. Thereby, processability of the powder in laser based powder bed fusion is enhanced, extending the range of available (composite) polymer materials.