Friction and wear characteristics of copper and its compound-filled PTFE composites under oil-lubricated conditions

Four kinds of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-based composites, such as pure PTFE, PTFE + 30(v)%Cu, PTFE + 30(v)%Cu₂O, and PTFE + 30(v)%CuS composite, were prepared. Then the friction and wear properties of the PTFE composites filled with Cu, Cu₂O, or CuS sliding against GCr15-bearing steel under both dry and liquid paraffin-lubricated conditions were studied by using an MHK-500 ring-block wear tester. Finally, the worn surfaces and the transfer films of these PTFE composites formed on the surface of GCr15-bearing steel were investigated by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and an optical microscope, respectively. Experimental results show that the antiwear properties of these PTFE composites can be greatly improved by filling Cu, Cu₂O, or CuS to PTFE, and the wear of these PTFE composites can be decreased by two orders of magnitude compared to that of pure PTFE under dry friction conditions. Meanwhile, CuS increases the friction coefficient of the PTFE composite, but Cu and Cu₂O reduce the friction coefficients of the PTFE composites. However, the friction and wear properties of Cu, Cu₂O, or CuS-filled PTFE composites can be greatly improved by lubrication with liquid paraffin. The friction coefficients of these PTFE composites can be decreased by one order of magnitude compared to those under dry friction conditions, while the wear of these PTFE composites can be decreased by one to two orders of magnitude. The PTFE + 30(v)%Cu composite exhibits excellent friction and wear-reducing properties under higher loads in liquid paraffin-lubricated conditions, so the PTFE + 30(v)%Cu composite is much more suitable for application under oil-lubricated conditions in practice. Optical microscope investigation of transfer films shows that Cu, Cu₂O, and CuS enhance the adhesion of the transfer films to the surface of GCr15-bearing steel, so they greatly reduce the wear of the PTFE composites. However, the transfer of the PTFE composites onto the surface of GCr15-bearing steel can be greatly reduced by lubrication with liquid paraffin, but the transfer still takes place. SEM examination of worn surfaces shows that the interaction between liquid paraffin and the PTFE composites, especially the absorption of liquid paraffin into the surface layers of the PTFE composites, creates some cracks on the worn surfaces of Cu₂O or CuS-filled PTFE composites, the creation and development of the cracks reduces the load-carrying capacity of the PTFE composites; this leads to the deterioration of the friction and wear properties of the PTFE composites under higher loads in liquid paraffin lubrication. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 70: 1455–1464, 1998     

Friction and wear characteristics of fiber- and whisker-reinforced PTFE composites under oil lubricated conditions

Four kinds of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-based composites, such as pure PTFE, PTFE + 30(vol.)% carbon fiber, PTFE + 30(vol.)% glass fiber, and PTFE + 30(vol.)% K₂Ti₆O₁₃ whisker composite, were prepared. The friction and wear properties of these fiber- and whisker-reinforced PTFE composites sliding against GCr15-bearing steel (SAE52100 steel) under both dry and liquid paraffin lubricated conditions were studied by using an MHK-500 ring-block wear tester (Timken wear tester). Then the worn surfaces of these PTFE composites and the transfer films formed on the surface of GCr15-bearing steel were investigated by using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and an Optical Microscope, respectively. Experimental results show that the friction and wear properties of the PTFE composites reinforced with carbon fiber, glass fiber, and a K₂Ti₆O₁₃ whisker can be greatly improved by lubrication with liquid paraffin, and the friction coefficients of these PTFE composites can be decreased by one order of magnitude compared to those under dry friction conditions. Meanwhile, the wear of the fiber- and whisker-reinforced PTFE composites in liquid paraffin lubrication increases with the increase of load, but the friction coefficients of these PTFE composites first decrease with the increase of load, and then increase with the increase of load. The variations of friction coefficients with load for these PTFE composites in liquid paraffin lubrication can be described properly by the Stribeck's curve as given in this article. However, when the load increases to the load limits of the PTFE composites, their friction and wear increase sharply. SEM and optical microscope investigations show that the interactions between liquid paraffin and the PTFE composites, especially the absorption of liquid paraffin into the surface layers of the PTFE composites, create some obvious cracks on the worn surfaces of the PTFE composites. The creation and the development of the cracks reduce the load-carrying capacity of the PTFE composites, and therefore lead to the increase of the friction and wear of the PTFE composites under higher loads. Meanwhile, the transfer of the fiber- and whisker-reinforced PTFE composites onto the counterfaces can be greatly reduced by lubrication with liquid paraffin, but the transfer still takes place. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 69: 1393–1402, 1998     

Effects of lubricating‐oil additives on the friction and wear properties of polymers and their composites sliding against steel under oil‐lubricated conditions

The effects of lubricating‐oil additive zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) on the friction and wear properties of polymers and their composites sliding against GCr15 bearing steel were studied by using an MHK‐500 ring‐on‐block wear tester (Timken wear tester). Then the frictional surfaces of the friction pairs were examined by using electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). Experimental results show that the ZDDP contained in liquid paraffin has little effect on the friction coefficients of the polyimide (PI) or polyamide 66 (PA66) against GCr15 bearing steel friction pairs compared with that under the lubrication of liquid paraffin, but it slightly reduces the friction coefficients of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or its composites against GCr15 bearing steel friction pairs. Under lubrication of liquid paraffin containing 2 wt % ZDDP, the ZDDP film absorbed on the frictional surfaces of the PTFE composites–GCr15 bearing steel friction pairs exhibits obvious antiwear properties; it greatly reduces the wear of pure PTFE and the PTFE composites filled with Pb, PbO, and MoS₂; and the wear of the PTFE composites can be reduced by one order of magnitude compared with that under lubrication of pure liquid paraffin. Meanwhile, the inorganic fillers Pb, PbO, and MoS₂ contained in PTFE have little effect on the absorption of ZDDP to the frictional surfaces, so they have little effect on the friction coefficients of the PTFE composites–GCr15 bearing steel friction pairs under the lubrication of liquid paraffin containing 2 wt % ZDDP. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 76: 1240–1247, 2000     

Friction and wear characteristics of metal sulfides and graphite‐filled PTFE composites under dry and oil‐lubricated conditions

Five kinds of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)‐based composites, pure PTFE, PTFE + 30(v)% MoS₂, PTFE + 30(v)% PbS, PTFE + 30(v)% CuS, and PTFE + 30(v)% graphite (GR) composites, were first prepared. Then the friction and wear properties of these PTFE composites, sliding against GCr15‐bearing steel under both dry and liquid paraffin‐lubricated conditions, were studied by using an MHK‐500 ring‐on‐block wear tester. Finally, the worn surfaces and the transfer films of the PTFE composites formed on the surface of GCr15 bearing steel were investigated by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and an optical microscope, respectively. Experimental results show that filling with MoS₂, PbS, CuS, or graphite to PTFE can reduce the wear of the PTFE composites by two orders of magnitude compared to that of pure PTFE under dry friction conditions. However, the friction and wear‐reducing properties of these PTFE composites can be greatly improved by lubrication with liquid paraffin. Investigations of transfer films show that MoS₂, PbS, CuS, and graphite promote the transfer of the PTFE composites onto the surface of GCr15‐bearing steel under dry friction conditions, but the transfer of the PTFE composites onto the surface of GCr15‐bearing steel can be greatly reduced by lubrication with liquid paraffin. SEM examinations of worn surfaces show that with lubrication of liquid paraffin, the creation and development of the cracks occurred on the worn surfaces of the PTFE composites under load, which reduces the load‐supporting capacity of the PTFE composites. This would lead to the deterioration of the friction and wear properties of the PTFE composites under higher loads (>600N). © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 72: 751–761, 1999     

Friction and wear characteristics of ceramic particle filled polytetrafluoroethylene composites under oil-lubricated conditions

Five kinds of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-based composites were prepared: PTFE, PTFE + 30 vol % SiC, PTFE + 30 vol % Si₃N₄, PTFE + 30 vol % BN, and PTFE + 30 vol % B₂O₃. The friction and wear properties of these ceramic particle filled PTFE composites sliding against GCr15 bearing steel under both dry and liquid paraffin lubricated conditions were studied by using an MHK-500 ring-block wear tester. The worn surfaces and the transfer films formed on the surface of the GCr15 bearing steel of these PTFE composites were investigated by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM)and an optical microscope, respectively. The experimental results show that the ceramic particles of SiC, Si₃N₄, BN, and B₂O₃ can greatly reduce the wear of the PTFE composites; the wear-reducing action of Si₃N₄ is the most effective, that of SiC is the next most effective, then the BN, and that of B₂O₃ is the worst. We found that B₂O₃ reduces the friction coefficient of the PTFE composite but SiC, Si₃N₄, and BN increase the friction coefficients of the PTFE composites. However, the friction and wear properties of the ceramic particle filled PTFE composites can be greatly improved by lubrication with liquid paraffin, and the friction coefficients of the PTFE composites can be decreased by 1 order of magnitude. Under lubrication of liquid paraffin the friction coefficients of these ceramic particle filled PTFE composites decrease with an increase of load, but the wear of the PTFE composites increases with a load increase. The variations of the friction coefficients with load for these ceramic particle filled PTFE composites under lubrication of liquid paraffin can be properly described by the relationship between the friction coefficient (μ) and the simplified Sommerfeld variable N/P as given here. The investigations of the frictional surfaces show that the ceramic particles SiC, Si₃N₄, BN, and B₂O₃ enhance the adhesion of the transfer films of the PTFE composites to the surface of GCr15 bearing steel, so they greatly reduce the wear of the PTFE composites. However, the transfer of the PTFE composites onto the surface of the GCr15 bearing steel can be greatly reduced by lubrication with liquid paraffin, but the transfer still takes place. Meanwhile, the interactions between the liquid paraffin and the PTFE composites, especially the absorption of liquid paraffin into the surface layers of the PTFE composites, create some cracks on the worn surfaces of the ceramic particle filled PTFE composites; the creation and development of these cracks reduces the load-supporting capacity of the PTFE composites. This leads to the deterioration of the friction and wear properties of the PTFE composites under higher loads in liquid paraffin lubrication. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 73: 2611–2619, 1999     

Friction and wear behavior of PTFE composites filled with rare earth compounds under oil‐lubricated conditions

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)‐based composites, filled with CeO₂, CeF₃, and La₂O₃ in volume contents of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30%, were prepared. Then, the friction and wear behavior of these PTFE composites sliding against GCr15 bearing steel under both dry and liquid paraffin‐lubricated conditions was evaluated using an MHK‐500 ring‐on‐block wear tester. Finally, the worn surfaces and the transfer films of these PTFE composites were investigated using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and an optical microscope. Experimental results showed that filling CeO₂, CeF₃, and La₂O₃ into PTFE can reduce the wear of the PTFE composites by 1–2 orders of magnitude. When the content of CeO₂ in PTFE is 15%, the friction and wear properties of the CeO₂‐filled PTFE composite are the best. Meanwhile, when the content of La₂O₃ in PTFE is between 15 and 20%, the PTFE composite filled with La₂O₃ exhibits excellent friction and wear‐reducing properties. However, the friction coefficient of the CeF₃‐filled PTFE composite increases but its wear decreases with increase in the content of CeF₃ from 5 to 30%. The friction and wear‐reducing properties of CeO₂‐, CeF₃‐, and La₂O₃‐filled PTFE composites can be greatly improved by lubrication with liquid paraffin, but the limit loads of the PTFE composites decrease with increase in the content of CeO₂, CeF₃, and La₂O₃ in PTFE (from 5 to 30%) under the same conditions. Investigations of worn surfaces show that the interaction between liquid paraffin and the CeO₂‐, CeF₃‐, and La₂O₃‐filled PTFE composites, especially the absorption of liquid paraffin into the microdefects of the PTFE composites, creates some cracks on the worn surfaces of the PTFE composites and that the creation and development of the cracks reduces the mechanical strength and the load‐supporting capacity of the PTFE composites. However, with increase of the content of CeO₂, CeF₃, and La₂O₃ in the PTFE, the microdefects in the PTFE composites also increase, which would lead to increase in the number of the cracks on the worn surfaces of the PTFE composites under load and, so, in turn, lead to the reduction of the limit loads of the CeO₂‐, CeF₃‐, and La₂O₃‐filled PTFE composites under lubrication with liquid paraffin. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 78: 797–805, 1999     

Friction and wear behaviors of several polymers under oil-lubricated conditions

The friction and wear properties of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyimide (PI), and polyamide 66 (PA66) sliding against GCr15 bearing steel under both dry and oil-lubricated conditions were studied by using an MHK-500 ring-block wear tester (Timken wear tester), and then Stribeck's curves of PTFE, PI, and PA66 under lubrication of the oil were given out. The worn surfaces of these polymers and the transfer films formed on the counterfaces were examined by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and an optical microscope, respectively. Experimental results show that the friction and wear-reducing properties of PTFE, PI, and PA66 can be greatly improved by lubrication with liquid paraffin, and the friction coefficients can be decreased by 1 order of magnitude compared to those in dry friction condition. Under lubrication of liquid paraffin, the friction coefficients of PTFE, PI, and PA66 decrease with the increase of load, but the wear increases with the increase of load. The variations of friction coefficients with load for PTFE, PI, and PA66 under lubrication of liquid paraffin can be described properly by the Stribeck's curves, as given out in this article. Under higher loads and sliding speeds in liquid paraffin lubrication, the friction and wear reducing properties of PA66 are the best, and those of PTFE are the worst; therefore, PA66 is also very suitable for applications in oil-lubricated conditions. Meanwhile, SEM and optical microscope investigations show that the wear and transfer of PTFE, PI, and PA66 can be greatly reduced by lubrication of liquid paraffin, but they still take place. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 68: 2175–2182, 1998     

Molecule structure variations in friction of stainless steel/PTFE and its composite

The friction and wear characteristics of PTFE and one of its composites, JS material rubbing against stainless steel, were determined with a pin-disk tester in this study. The JS material is a multilayer composite composed of PTFE layer containing metal oxide and others, porous bronze layer, copper-plating layer and steel back. The submicroscopic features of frictional surfaces of stainless steel and JS materials were observed with an electron probe microanalyzer (EPM). By analysis of fractional surfaces of stainless steel pins in various operating stages with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), chemical shifts of C_ls, O_ls, and F_ls peaks, F-ion gathering in surface transfer films, and generation of a metal fluoride and an unknown compound containing oxygen were found. The determination of JS material wear debris with electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR) showed that polymeric radicals different in structure and stable in air existed. The authors consider that these PTFE molecule structure variations might be of benefit to the adhesion of PTFE transfer film to the rubbed stainless steel surface, which is important to improve the friction and wear performance of PTFE.     

Effects of various kinds of fillers on the tribological behavior of polytetrafluoroethylene composites under dry and oil‐lubricated conditions

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)‐based composites filled with various inorganic fillers in a volume fraction of 30% were prepared. The tribological behavior of the PTFE composites sliding against AISI52100 steel under dry and liquid paraffin‐lubricated conditions was investigated on an MHK‐500 model ring‐on‐block test rig. The morphologies of worn surfaces and wear debris were observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and an optical microscope. As the results, different fillers show different effects on the tribological behavior of the PTFE composites, while the composite shows much different tribological behavior under lubricated conditions as compared with dry sliding. The tribological behavior of the PTFE composites under dry sliding is greatly related to the uniformity and thickness of the transfer films. Only the PTFE composites with a transfer film of good uniformity and proper thickness may have excellent tribological behavior. The PTFE composites show much better tribological behavior under lubrication of liquid paraffin than under dry sliding, namely, the friction coefficients are decreased by 1 order of magnitude and the wear rate by 1–3 orders of magnitude. Observation of the worn composite surfaces with SEM indicates that fatigue cracks were generated under lubrication of liquid paraffin, owing to the absorption and osmosis of liquid paraffin into the microdefects of the PTFE composites. The creation and development of the fatigue cracks led to fatigue wear of the PTFE composites. This would reduce the mechanical strength and load‐supporting capacity of the PTFE composites. Therefore, the tribological behavior of the PTFE composites under lubrication of liquid paraffin is greatly dependent on the compatibility between the PTFE matrix and the inorganic fillers. In other words, the better is the compatibility between PTFE and fillers the better is the tribological behavior of the composites. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 80: 1891–1897, 2001     

Influences of hBN content and test mode on dry sliding tribological characteristics of B4C-hBN ceramics against bearing steel

The dry sliding tribological characteristics of B₄C-hBN ceramics with different contents of hBN against GCr15 bearing steel under two different test modes (upper disc on bottom pin test mode and upper pin on bottom disc test mode) have been evaluated using a pin-on-disc friction and wear tester. The experimental results show that, with increasing hBN content, the dry sliding tribological characteristics of B₄C-hBN/GCr15 bearing steel pairs have different variation rules under two different test modes. Under upper disc on bottom pin test mode, with increasing hBN content, the friction coefficients of B₄C-hBN/GCr15 bearing steel pairs decrease firstly and increase subsequently; however, under upper pin on bottom disc test mode, the friction coefficients of B₄C-hBN/GCr15 bearing steel pairs increase continuously with increasing hBN content. In this paper, the possible reasons for these interesting results are most deeply discussed.     

Influence of organic montmorillonite nanoparticles on the microstructures and thermal and tribological properties of polyethersulfone and polytetrafluoroethylene composites

Because of high wear rate and low thermal deformation temperature, the generalization and application of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) in the field of tribology is restrained to a certain extent. In order to improve the wear resistance and thermal stability of this self‐lubricating polymer, organic montmorillonite (OMMT) nanoparticle reinforced polyethersulfone (PES) and PTFE ternary composites were prepared by the cold molding and vacuum sintering technology. The effects of sodium montmorillonite (Na‐MMT) and OMMT on the microstructures, thermal stabilities and tribological properties of PTFE composites were comparatively studied. The results show that the thermal stability of the PES/PTFE composites is clearly improved by the incorporation of OMMT nanoparticles. Not only the friction coefficients but also the wear rates of OMMT/PES/PTFE composites are less than those of Na‐MMT/PES/PTFE composites under identical tribological tests. Of all these PTFE composites, the PES/PTFE composite containing 10.0 wt% OMMT nanoparticles exhibits the best friction and wear properties (μ = 0.14, k = 5.78 × 10^?15 m³ N^–1 m^?1). This can be attributed to the existence of a polymer multicomponent layer consisting of PTFE, PES and OMMT on the composite surface as well as the formation of uniform PTFE transfer film on the worn surfaces of metal counterparts.     

Influence of solid lubricant reinforcement on wear behavior of Kevlar fabric composites

The friction and wear behavior of Kevlar fabric composites reinforced by PTFE or graphite powders was investigated using a Xuanwu‐III friction and wear tester at dry sliding condition, with the unfilled Kevlar fabric composite as a reference. The worn surfaces were analyzed by means of scanning electron microscope, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was found that PTFE or graphite as fillers could significantly improve the tribological behavior of the Kevlar fabric composites, and the Kevlar fabric composites filled with 20% PTFE exhibited the best antiwear and antifriction ability among all evaluated cases. The transfer films established with two lubricants in sliding wear of composites against metallic counterparts made contributions to reducing friction coefficient and wear rate of Kevlar fabric composites. In particular, FeF₂ generated in the sliding of Kevlar fabric composites filled with PTFE against counterpart pin improved the bonding strength between the transfer film and counterpart surface, which accounted for the lowest friction coefficient and wear rate of the Kevlar fabric composites filled with PTFE measured in the testing. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008.     

Tribological behavior of three‐dimensional braided carbon fiber reinforced polyetheretherketone composites

Three‐dimensional (3D) braided carbon fiber reinforced polyetheretherketone (denoted as CF_3D/PEEK) composites with various fiber volume fractions were prepared via hybrid woven plus vacuum heat‐pressing technology and their tribological behaviors against steel counterpart with different normal loads at dry sliding were investigated. Contrast tribological tests with different lubricants (deionized water and sea water) and counterparts made from different materials (epoxy resin, PEEK) were also conducted. The results showed that the incorporation of 3D braided carbon fiber can greatly improve the tribological properties of PEEK over a certain range of carbon fiber volume fraction (V_f) and an optimum fiber loading of ∼54% exists. The friction coefficient of the CF_3D/PEEK composites decreased from 0.195 to 0.173, while the specific wear rate increased from 1.48 × 10⁻⁷ to 1.78 × 10⁻⁷ mm³ Nm⁻¹ with the normal load increasing from 50 to 150 N. Abrasive mechanism was dominated when the composites sliding with GCr15 steel counterpart under dry and aqueous lubrication conditions. Deionized water and sea water lubricants both significantly reduced the wear of the CF_3D/PEEK composites. When sliding with neat PEEK counterpart, the CF_3D/PEEK composites possess lower friction coefficient than those against epoxy resin and GCr15 steel counterparts. In general, CF_3D/PEEK composites possess excellent tribological properties and comprehensive mechanical performance, which makes it become a potential candidate for special heat‐resisting tribological components. POLYM. COMPOS., 36:2174–2183, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Al2O3/PTFE复合材料的磨损性能研究

用机械共混、冷压成型烧结的方法制备了Al2O3／PTFE复合材料试样。用MM-200型磨损试验机测试了在干摩擦定载荷条件下各试样的磨损性能；用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)对磨损试样的表面形貌和磨屑的形貌进行了观察和分析；用光学显微镜对磨损后偶件环的表面形貌作了观察分析。结果表明：在实验条件下，Al2O3／PTFE复合材料的抗磨损性能，随Al2O3用量的增大逐渐增强，当Al2O3用量大于35％后，抗磨损性能增强的趋势明显减缓；在干摩擦条件下Al2O3／PTFE复合材料主要发生粘着磨损和磨粒磨损，且随Al2O3用量的增加，磨粒磨损所起的作用也增大。     

Friction and wear properties of basalt fiber reinforced/solid lubricants filled polyimide composites under different sliding conditions

Short basalt fibers (BFs)‐reinforced polyimide (PI) composites filled with MoS₂ and graphite were fabricated by means of hot‐press molding technique. The tribological properties of the resulting composites sliding against GCr15 steel ring were investigated on a model ring‐on‐block test rig. The wear mechanisms were also comparatively discussed, based on scanning electron microscopic examination of the worn surface of the PI composites and the transfer film formed on the counterpart. Experimental results revealed that MoS₂ and graphite as fillers significantly improved the wear resistance of the BFs‐reinforced polyimide (BFs/PI) composites. For the best combination of friction coefficient and wear rate, the optimal volume content of MoS₂ and graphite in the composites appears to be 40 and 35%, respectively. It was also found that the tribological properties of the filled BFs/PI composites were closely related with the sliding conditions such as sliding speed and applied load. Research results show that the BF/PI composites exhibited better tribological properties under higher PV product. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Tribological properties of PTFE‐filled PMIA

The polytetrafluoroethylene‐filled (PTFE) poly(m‐phenylene isophalamide) (PMIA) composite blocks are prepared by compression molding. The friction and wear of PTFE‐filled PMIA are investigated on a block‐on‐ring machine by running the PMIA composite block against plain carbon steel (AISI 1045 steel ring). The worn surface of PMIA composite and the steel counterface are examined by using electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). It is found that PTFE‐filled PMIA exhibited considerably lower friction coefficient and wear rate than pure PMIA. Furthermore, the lowest wear rate is obtained when the composite contains 20 vol % PTFE. EPMA investigations show that there are some debris that could restrain the wear of the PMIA composites oriented along the sliding track and embedded in the surface of PMIA composite. A kind of stripe transfer film that contains abundant F element should be the main reason for the improvement of the tribological properties of PTFE‐filled PMIA composites. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 74: 747–751, 1999     

Friction and wear properties of polyimide matrix composites reinforced with short basalt fibers

Short basalt fiber (BF) reinforced polyimide (PI) composites were fabricated by means of compression‐molding technique. The friction and wear properties of the resulting composites sliding against GCr15 steel were investigated on a model ring‐on‐block test rig under dry sliding conditions. The morphologies of the worn surfaces and the transfer films that formed on the counterpart steel rings were analyzed by means of scanning electron microscopy. The influence of the short BF content, load, and sliding speed on the tribological behavior of the PI composites was examined. Experimental results revealed that the low incorporation of BFs could improve the tribological behavior of the PI composites remarkably. The friction coefficient and wear rate decreased with increases in the sliding speed and load, respectively. The transfer film that formed on the counterpart surface during the friction process made contributions to reducing the friction coefficient and wear rate of the BF‐reinforced PI composites. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Study on the Friction and Wear Behaviors of Modified PA66 Composites

The wear-resistant polyamide 66 (PA66) composites were prepared and the mechanical properties, friction and wear properties were inspected. Results show that GF, PTFE and MoS₂ can improve the mechanical, friction and wear properties of PA66 composites. PTFE is more effective on the friction and wear properties than MoS₂ when GF is 30%wt. The best effect of the modification is 35%wt GF when both PTFE and MoS₂ were added. Friction coefficient first increase, then reduce to be stable as sliding time increases. Friction coefficient and wear mass loss increase as load increases. The main wear mechanisms are fatigue and abrasion wears.     

Comparative study on the tribological properties of poly(arylene ether nitrile)/polytetrafluoroethylene composites: The influence of filler size and testing conditions

In this work, the influence of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) filler size and testing conditions (i.e., air, water, and lubricating oil) on the tribological properties of poly(arylene ether nitrile) (PEN) was systematically investigated. The results showed that the addition of PTFE was beneficial to improve the tribological properties of PEN-based composites which was related to the easier formation of transfer film on the surface of friction pair. Samples which were tested in water demonstrated a relatively higher friction coefficient (μ) and wear loss when compared with those tested in dry air and lubricating oil scenarios, which was attributed to the fact that friction induced heat and wear debris could be timely removed by water. In addition, the infiltration of water further reduced the interaction between PTFE filler and PEN, which aggravated the wear loss of sample blocks. When tested in lubricating oil, pure PEN showed the lowest wear loss when compared with that of PEN/PTFE composites. At a given content (20 wt%) of PTFE fillers, PEN/PTFE_1.5μm exhibited the lowest μ in lubricating oil whereas PEN/PTFE_5μm demonstrated the lowest specific wear loss in air condition (1.18 × 10⁻⁶ mm³/N·m). This work provided some useful information for the design and application of PTFE-containing polymer composites that can be targeted in different lubrication scenarios in industrial fields.     

Tribological properties of porous PPS/PTFE composite filled with mesopore titanium oxide whisker

Nano‐micro hierarchical porous polyphenylene sulfide/polytetrafluoroethylene (PPS/PTFE) composites were prepared by mold‐leaching and vacuum melting process under high temperature condition. The tribological behaviors of porous PPS/PTFE composites and the synergism as a result of incorporation of both micro‐porogen (NaCl) and mesoporous TiO₂ whiskers were investigated. The effects of mesoporous TiO₂ whiskers and nonperforated TiO₂ whiskers on the friction and wear properties of PPS/PTFE composites were comparatively studied, respectively. Results indicated that the wear rate of porous PPS/PTFE composites with 30 wt % NaCl and 7 wt % mesoporous TiO₂ whiskers obtained the lowest values under the load of 100 N. Compared with pure PPS, the wear resistance of nano‐micro porous PPS/PTFE composite was enhanced by 6.45 × 10³ times, showing outstanding wear resistance. During sliding condition, grease could be squeezed through the nano‐micro pores under the coupling effect of load and friction heat, and formed a lubricanting layer on friction surface, providing self‐lubricating effect and high wear resistance. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013