Extruder-Raman | Optimize PEEK Film Extrusion Through Real-Time Crystallinity Monitoring
The crystallinity of PEEK film was monitored during extrusion in real time using Raman spectroscopy calibrated against differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), enabling quantitative in-line process monitoring.
Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) is a high-performance semi-crystalline polymer whose mechanical strength, thermal resistance, chemical stability, and dimensional stability are strongly influenced by its degree of crystallinity. During film extrusion, crystallinity is governed by processing parameters, particularly the draw-off speed, which influences the stretching conditions and effective cooling rate of the extruded film.
Variations in these parameters directly affect molecular ordering and can result in significant changes in final material properties, potentially leading to out-of-specification product. Conventional offline characterization methods such as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) provide accurate crystallinity values, but they do not enable process intervention during production. As a result, deviations may remain undetected until the extrusion cycle has been completed.
Real-time crystallinity monitoring during extrusion enables immediate detection of process-induced structural changes and forms the basis for advanced quality control and process optimization.
The Anton Paar Cora 5001 Raman spectrometer equipped with a fiber probe was mounted on the Univex film haul-off unit. Raman spectroscopy provides continuous crystallinity-sensitive spectral information. However, quantitative determination requires calibration against reference measurements. In this study, offline crystallinity values determined using Anton Paar’s Julia DSC 300 were used to calibrate the Raman model.
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