DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE 'VICTREX' POLYARYLETHERKETONE PEEK.

Abstract

A decision to develop PEEK so as to extend ICI's 'VICTREX' range of aromatic polymers with a crystalline material was taken in 1979 and work started to scale up the laboratory process using semi-technical equipment previously assembled for the unsuccessful development of the ketone-sulphone co-polymer. The process so developed was established in production at ICI's Hillhouse factory by 1982 so that the new material could be offered for sale in Europe and the USA. A historical review of the synthesis and development of polyaryletherketone is presented in this paper.