Novel Carboxylation Method for Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) Surface Modification Using Friedel–Crafts Acylation

Recently, polyetheretherketone (PEEK) has shown promising dental applications. Surface treatment is essential for dental applications owing to its poor surface energy and wettability; however, no consensus on an effective treatment method has been achieved. In this study, we attempted to carboxylate PEEK sample surfaces via Friedel–Crafts acylation using succinic anhydride and AlBr(3). The possibility of further chemical modifications using carboxyl groups was examined. The samples were subjected to dehydration–condensation reactions with 1H,1H-pentadecafluorooctylamine and N,N’-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. Furthermore, the sample’s surface properties at each reaction stage were evaluated. An absorption band in the 3300–3500 cm(−1) wavenumber region was observed. Additionally, peak suggestive of COOH was observed in the sample spectra. Secondary modification diminished the absorption band in 3300–3500 cm(−1) and a clear F1s signal was observed. Thus, Friedel–Crafts acylation with succinic anhydride produced carboxyl groups on the PEEK sample surfaces. Further chemical modification of the carboxyl groups by dehydration-condensation reactions is also possible. Thus, a series of reactions can be employed to impart desired chemical structures to PEEK surfaces.