Action of transfer film in improving friction and wear behaviors of iron‐ and copper‐filled poly(ether ether ketone) composites

The composites of poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) filled with micrometer‐sized Cu and Fe particles were prepared by compression molding. The friction and wear behaviors of the composites were examined on a pin‐on‐disc friction‐and‐wear tester by sliding PEEK‐based composites against tool steel at a sliding speed of 1.0 m s⁻¹ and a normal load of 19.6N. Optical microscopic analysis of the transfer film and of the worn pin surfaces and wear debris was performed to investigate the wear mechanisms of the composites. It was found that Cu and Fe used as filler considerably decreased the wear rate of PEEK. A thin, uniform, and tenacious transfer film was formed when Cu was used as the filler, and a nonuniform and thick transfer film was formed when Fe was used as the filler. The transfer film played a key role in increasing the wear resistance of the PEEK composites. Plastic deformation was dominant for wear of PEEK–Cu, while abrasion and adhesion were dominant for wear of PEEK–Fe. Because of the strong affinity between Fe as filler and its identical counterpart in the counterface tool steel surface, the adhesion between the PEEK–Fe composite surface and the counterface tool steel surface was thus severe. This contributed to the generation of a thicker transfer film for PEEK–Fe. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 76: 179–184, 2000     

The tribological properties of SiC whisker-reinforced polyetheretherketone

SiC whisker-reinforced polyetheretherketone (PEEK) composites with different filler proportions were made into block specimens by compression molding. The friction and wear properties of the composites were investigated on a block-on-ring machine by running a plain carbon steel (AISI 1045 steel) ring against the composite block under ambient conditions. The morphologies of the wear traces and wear debris were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that SiC whisker-reinforced PEEK exhibited considerably lower friction coefficient compared with pure PEEK, while SiC whisker as a filler at a content of 1.25 to 2.5 wt % was very effective in reducing the wear rate of PEEK. Especially, the lowest wear rate was obtained with the composite containing 1.25 wt % SiC whisker. The SEM pictures of the wear traces indicated that PEEK composites undertook abrasive wear that was enhanced with increasing SiC whisker content, while for the frictional couple of carbon steel ring/composite block (reinforced with 1.25 wt % filler), a thin, uniform, and tenacious transfer film was formed on the ring surface. It was also supposed that the differences in the content of SiC whisker as filler could cause the differences in the wear mechanisms of SiC whisker-reinforced PEEK composites. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 69: 2341–2347, 1998     

Tribological characteristics of nanometer Si3N4 filled poly(ether ether ketone) under distilled water lubrication

Nanometer Si₃N₄ filled poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) composite blocks with different filler proportions were prepared by compression molding. Their friction and wear properties under distilled water lubrication, as well as under ambient dry conditions, were investigated on a block on ring machine by running a plain carbon steel (AISI 1045 steel) ring against the PEEK composite block. The worn surfaces of nanometer Si₃N₄ filled PEEK and the transfer film were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). The results showed that distilled water could reduce the friction coefficient of nanometer Si₃N₄ filled PEEK but with the sacrifice of a large reduction in wear resistance. The SEM and EPMA pictures of the worn surfaces indicated that the wear mechanisms of nanometer Si₃N₄ filled PEEK under distilled water lubrication and ambient dry rubbing conditions were different. Under water lubrication, the dominant wear mechanism of the filled PEEK was severe abrasive wear with surface fracture. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 79: 1394–1400, 2001     

Effect of nanometer SiC filler on the tribological behavior of PEEK under distilled water lubrication

The composites of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) filled with nanometer SiC of different proportions were prepared by compression molding. The tribological behaviors of the composites under lubrication of distilled water were investigated and compared with that under dry sliding, on an M‐200 friction and wear test rig, by running a plain carbon steel (AISI 1045 steel) ring against the composite block. The worn surfaces of nanometer SiC filled‐PEEK and the transfer film were observed by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). As the results, nanometer SiC as the filler greatly improves the wear resistance of PEEK under dry sliding and distilled water lubrication, though the composites show different dependence of wear resistance on the filler content. Nanometer SiC‐filled PEEK showed signs of slight scuffing under distilled water lubrication, while a thin, uniform, and tenacious transfer film was formed on the surface of the counterpart steel ring. On the contrary, unfilled PEEK under lubrication of water showed signs of severe plowing and erosion, while the worn surface of the counterpart ring was very rough, and a discontinuous PEEK transfer film was formed. Thus, the different friction and wear behaviors of unfilled PEEK and nanometer SiC‐filled PEEK can be attributed to the different characteristics of the corresponding transfer films. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 78: 609–614, 2000     

Tribological properties of SiO2 nanoparticle filled–phthalazine ether sulfone/phthalazine ether ketone (50/50 mol %) copolymer composites

SiO₂ nanoparticle filled–poly(phthalazine ether sulfone ketone) (PPESK) composites with various filler volume fractions were made by heating compression molding. The tribological behavior of the PPESK composites was investigated using a block‐on‐ring test rig by sliding PPESK‐based composite blocks against a mild carbon steel ring. The morphologies of the worn composite surfaces, wear debris, and the transferred films formed on the counterpart steel surface were examined with a scanning electron microscope, whereas the chemical state of the Fe element in the transfer film was analyzed with X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In addition, IR spectra were taken to characterize the structure of wear debris and PPESK composites. It was found that SiO₂ nanoparticle filled–PPESK composites exhibit good wear resistance and friction‐reduction behavior. The friction and wear behavior of the composites was improved at a volume fraction between 4.2 and 14.5 vol % of the filler SiO₂. The results based on combined SEM, XPS, and IR techniques indicate that SiO₂ nanoparticle filled–PPESK composite is characterized by slight scuffing in dry sliding against steel and polishing action between composite surface and that of the countpart ring, whereas unfilled PPESK is characterized by severe plastic deformation and adhesion wear. In the former case a thin, but not complete, transfer film was formed on the surface of the counterpart steel, whereas in the latter case, a thick and lumpy transfer film was formed on the counterpart steel surface. This accounts for the different friction and wear behavior of unfilled PPESK and SiO₂ nanoparticle filled–PPESK composites. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 85: 2136–2144, 2002     

The tribological behavior of micrometer and nanometer TiO2 particle‐filled poly(phthalazine ether sulfone ketone) composites

Micrometer and nanometer TiO₂ particle‐filled poly(phthalazine ether sulfone ketone) (PPESK) composites with various filler volume fractions from 0.5 to 7.5 vol % were prepared by heating compression molding. The friction and wear behaviors of the PPESK composites were evaluated using the block‐on‐ring test rig by sliding PPESK‐based composite blocks against a mild carbon steel ring under dry friction conditions. The wear debris and the worn surfaces of the PPESK composites filled with micrometer and nanometer TiO₂ particles were investigated by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), while the structures of PPESK composites and wear debris were analyzed with IR spectra. Experimental results show that antiwear properties of the PPESK composites can be improved greatly by filling nanometer TiO₂ particles, and the friction coefficient decreases when the filler volume fraction is below 2.5%, but when the filler volume fraction is above 2.5% the friction coefficient increases gradually with increasing filler volume fraction. In the case of micrometer TiO₂ filler, wear rates increase with increasing filler volume fractions under identical test conditions, and the friction coefficients are less sensitive to the filler volume fraction. It was also found that the wear mechanism of micrometer TiO₂ particle‐filled PPESK is mainly severe adhesion and abrasive wear, while that of nanometer TiO₂ particle‐filled PPESK is mainly slight abrasive wear. In the former case, there are no transfer film formed on the surface of the counterpart steel, and wear debris are in the form of long and large ribbon. While in the latter case, the wear debris was granule and their size was about 10 μm. In case of 1 vol % nanometer TiO₂ particle‐filled PPESK composites, the transfer film was fairly thinner and smoother, and the transfer film provided better coverage on the surface of steel ring, while that of 7.5 vol % was thicker and discrete. These account for the different friction and wear behavior of micrometer and nanometer TiO₂ particle‐filled PPESK composite. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 906–914, 2004     

The friction and wear properties of nanometer ZrO2-filled polyetheretherketone

Nanometer ZrO₂ filled polyetheretherketone (PEEK) composite blocks with different filler proportions were prepared by compression molding. Their friction and wear properties were investigated on a block-on-ring machine by running a plain carbon steel (AISI 1045 steel) ring against the composite block. The morphologies of the wear traces were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results indicated that nanometer ZrO₂-filled PEEK exhibited lower friction coefficient and wear rate in comparison with pure PEEK. The lowest wear rate was obtained with the composite containing 7.5 wt % ZrO₂. The SEM pictures of the wear traces indicated that the plucked and ploughed marks appeared on the wear scar of pure PEEK, while the scuffing on the wear scar of 7.5 wt % nanometer ZrO₂-filled PEEK was obviously abated. Thus, it was inferred that the improvement in the tribological behavior of nanometer ZrO₂-filled PEEK composite was closely related to the improved characteristics of the worn surfaces. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 69: 135–141, 1998     

Tribological behavior of poly(ether ether ketone) composites filled with potassium titanate whiskers sliding in different media

The friction and wear properties of poly (ether ether ketone) (PEEK) composites filled with potassium titanate whiskers (PTWs) under alkali, water, and dry conditions were investigated. The wear mechanisms in different lubrication situations were studied on the basis of examinations of the worn and counterpart surfaces with scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy. The results showed that PTWs could obviously increase the wear resistance and reduce the friction coefficient of the PEEK composites under dry sliding conditions. Only when the PTW content was greater than 35 wt % did the wear resistance and friction coefficient deteriorate. Sliding in water caused increases in the wear rate and friction coefficient of the PEEK composites, and the PTW‐filled PEEK composites showed the highest friction coefficient and wear rate under this lubrication condition. On the contrary, sliding in an alkaline solution, the PTW‐filled PEEK composites showed the lowest friction coefficient and almost the same level of wear resistance as that found under the dry condition. Furrows and abrasive wear were the main mechanisms for the PTW‐filled PEEK composites sliding in water. The transfer onto the counterpart rings was significantly hindered with sliding under water and alkali conditions. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Investigation of the influence of CuO filler and carbon fiber on wear and transfer film of nylon composites

Nylon 1010 composite specimens were prepared with CuO filler and short carbon fiber (CF) as the reinforcement. Friction and wear behavior of composite materials was investigated in a ring‐block wear tester. The results show that carbon fiber was more effective in reducing friction and wear of nylon than CuO filler. Nylon composite with 20% CF and 10% CuO content filler had the lowest wear rate that could not be obtained with any proportion of the fiber or the filler alone. It was found that the transfer film on the counterpart of 20% CF–10% CuO–nylon was thin, continuous, and uniform. These differences in tribological performance have been studied according to the synergism between the carbon fiber and CuO filler. The tribochemical studies by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed that pure Cu, Cu₂O, and Cu(OH)₂ were produced due to the decomposition of CuO during sliding. Carbon fiber promoted the process of tribochemical reactions of CuO, which generated more pure Cu particle and then self‐lubricating transfer film including pure Cu was formed on the steel counterpart.© 2003 Wiley Periodicals,Inc.J Appl Polym Sci 91: 2397–2401, 2004     

High performance PEEK/AlN micro‐ and nanocomposites for tribological applications

The tribological properties of poly(ether–ether–ketone) (PEEK)/aluminum nitride (AlN) composites reinforced with micro‐ and nano‐AlN particles were evaluated under dry sliding conditions. The wear resistance of pure PEEK is 10‐fold higher than mild steel. It was further improved by 2‐fold at 20 wt % micro‐AlN and by more than 4‐fold at 30 wt % nano‐AlN composite compared with pure PEEK. The improvement in wear resistance was attributed to a thin and coherent transfer film. However, it was deteriorated on further increasing micro‐AlN. The coefficient of friction of the composites was increased. Scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy of worn surfaces and transfer films have been explained in detail. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Study on tribological properties of frictional material based aromatic polyamide

The effect of inorganic fillers on the friction and wear behavior of frictional material based poly(m‐phenylene isophthalamide) (PMIA) is investigated. The polymer composites are prepared by compression molding. The friction and wear of PMIA composites are investigated on a block‐on‐ring machine by running the PMIA composite block against plain carbon steel. The morphologies of the worn surface of PMIA composite and the ring counterface are examined by using electron probe microanalysis. It is found that copper compounds including CuCl, CuCl₂, Cu₂O, and CuO filled PMIA exhibit considerably higher friction coefficient than unfilled PMIA, while the wear rate of those composites decrease. Especially, CuCl is the optimal filler in the copper compounds investigated above. The filled PMIA composite containing CuCl, graphite, and short carbon fiber shows the best properties for frictional material. The friction coefficient of CuCl–PMIA composite is higher than that of unfilled PMIA because of the abrasive action of CuCl particle. It is probably the smoother surface of counterpart ring and composite block that resulted in the lower wear rate and friction coefficient of PMIA composite. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 80: 2790–2794, 2001     

Study on microhardness,dynamic mechanical,and tribological properties of PEEK/Al2O3 composites

The wear and friction properties of poly (ether‐ether‐ketone) (PEEK) reinforced with 0–33 vol % (60 wt %) micron size Al₂O₃ composites were evaluated at a sliding speed of 1.0 m/s and nominal pressure from 0.5 to 1.25 MPa under dry sliding conditions using a pin‐on‐disk wear tester. The wear resistance of the pure PEEK is 10‐fold higher than that of mild steel under the similar test condition. It is improved to 18‐fold as compared with mild steel at 3.5 vol % Al₂O₃ content. The improvement in wear properties may be attributed to the thin, tenacious, and coherent transfer film formed between the steel countersurface and composite pin. However, the wear resistance of PEEK containing above 3.5 vol % Al₂O₃ was deteriorated, despite their higher hardness and stiffness as compared with that of composites containing lower Al₂O₃ content. This is attributed to the formation of thick and noncoherent transfer film, which does not prevent the wear of the composites from hard asperities of countersurface. Moreover, hard Al₂O₃ particles present in transfer film act as third body wear mechanism. The coefficient of friction of the composites is higher than that of pure PEEK. SEM and optical microscopy have shown that wear of pure PEEK occurs by the mechanism of adhesion mainly whereas of PEEK composites by microploughing and abrasion. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

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     

Functionalization of multi‐walled carbon nanotubes and their effect on the tribological properties of poly(ether ether ketone) composites

A series of copolymers containing conjugated fluorene groups as a compatibilizer to improve the dispersion of multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were prepared and used to improve the wear resistance of poly(ether ether ketone)/graphite (PEEK/GP) composites. The solubility of MWCNTs had a maximum at a concentration ratio of 2:1 polymer:MWCNTs. Transmission electron microscopy indicated that polymer ? MWCNT interactions were capable of partially debundling the nanotubes in chloroform, with individual nanotubes or small bundles clearly observed. The tribological properties of PEEK composites incorporating the modified MWCNTs were investigated using a pin‐on‐disc apparatus and a block‐on‐ring apparatus. The PEEK composites had a lower frictional coefficient under the block‐on‐ring testing condition, but a lower wear rate was achieved in the pin‐on‐disc test. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry     

聚醚醚酮共混改性研究进展

综述了聚醚醚酮（PEEK）、聚醚酰亚胺（PEI）、聚四氟乙烯（PTFE）、热致液晶（TLCP）和聚醚砜（PES）等高性能工程塑料的共混改性研究进展,详细探讨了各种PEEK共混物的相容性、结晶行为、微观结构、热行为和力学性能等性能特征。PEEK与PEI在熔融和无定形状态下完全相容,常用于PEEK的结晶行为和微观结构的基础研究;与PTFE、TLCP、PES共混分别是提高PEEK的摩擦磨损性能、加工性能和热稳定性的有效手段。各种共混物的相容性好坏对其结晶行为和微观结构有重要影响,从而影响了共混物的力学性能。在此基础上,对PEEK共混改性领域进一步的研究方向和内容进行了讨论。     

The performances of BMI nanocomposites filled with nanometer SiC

Nanocomposites of bismaleimide (BMI) with different proportions of nanometer SiC were prepared by a high shear dispersion process and casting method at elevated temperature. The mechanical and tribological properties of the nanocomposites were investigated. The bending strength and impact strength of the nanocomposite specimens were determined, and the sliding wear performance of the nanocomposites was investigated on an M‐200 friction and wear tester. The dispersion of nanometre SiC was observed with a transmission electron microscope (TEM), while those of the worn surfaces and transfer films on the counterpart steel ring were observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The experimental results indicate that the nanocomposites exhibited lower friction coefficient and wear loss as well as higher bending and impact strength than BMI resin under the same testing conditions. The lowest wear rate was obtained with the nanocomposite containing 6.0 wt % SiC, while the highest mechanical properties were obtained with the nanocomposite containing 2.0 wt % SiC. The wear mechanism of the nanocomposite is mainly adhesion wear, while that of pure BMI resin is mainly fatigue cracking with plastic deformation. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 95: 1246–1250, 2005     

Tribological behavior of the polyamide composite coating filled with different fillers under dry sliding

The polyamide (PA) composite coating filled with the particles of microsized MoS₂, microsized graphite, and nano‐Al₂O₃, respectively, were prepared by flame spraying. The friction and wear characteristics of the PA coating and composite coating filled with the varied content of filler under dry sliding against stainless steel were comparatively investigated using a block‐ring tester. The morphologies of the worn surfaces and transfer films on the counterpart steel ring were observed on a scanning electron microscope. The result showed that the addition of fillers to the composite coatings changed significantly the friction coefficient and wear rate of the coatings. The composite coatings filled with a low level content of fillers showed lower wear rate than did pure PA coating under dry sliding; especially the MoS₂/PA composite coating had the lowest wear rate among these composite coatings. The composite coatings with a high level content of fillers had higher wear rate than did pure PA coating, except of the Al₂O₃/PA composite coating. The bonding strengths between the polymer matrix and fillers changed with the content of the fillers, which accounted for the differences in the tribological properties of the composite coatings filled with the varied content fillers. On the other hand, the difference in the friction and wear behaviors of the composite coatings and pure coating were attributed to the difference in their worn surface morphologies and transfer film characteristics. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2007     

Mechanical properties and sliding wear behavior of potassium titanate whiskers‐reinforced poly(ether ether ketone) composites under water‐lubricated condition

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) composites reinforced with potassium titanate whiskers (PTW) were compounded using a twin‐screw extruder followed by injection molding. The effects of PTW on the mechanical properties, crystallization performances and wear behaviors of PEEK under water lubrication have been investigated. It was denoted that the yield strength, Young's modulus, and microhardness of the composites increased with increasing whisker content, but the elongation at break and the impact strength showed decreasing trend. It was revealed that the inclusion of PTW could effectively reduce the friction coefficient and enhance the wear resistance of the PEEK. The DSC tests showed that the crystallinity of the composite slightly decreased with the addition of PTW, which might imply that the crystallinity of PEEK was not the dominant factor that influenced the wear properties of the composites. The enhancement on the wear resistance was attributed to the reinforced effect of PTW on PEEK. The wear mechanism changed from fatigue wear into mild abrasive wear when the PTW was added into PEEK. The lowest wear rate 9.3 × 10^?8 mm³/Nm was achieved at 10 wt % PTW content. However, excessive whiskers would cause severe abrasive wear to the composite. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Tribological behavior of micrometer‐ and nanometer‐Al2O3‐particle‐filled poly(phthalazine ether sulfone ketone) copolymer composites used as frictional materials

Micrometer‐ and nanometer‐Al₂O₃‐particle‐filled poly(phthalazine ether sulfone ketone) (PPESK) composites with filler volume fractions ranging from 1 to 12.5 vol % were prepared by hot compression molding. We evaluated the tribological behaviors of the PPESK composites with the block‐on‐ring test rig by sliding PPESK‐based composite blocks against a mild carbon steel ring under dry‐friction conditions. The effects of different temperatures on the wear rate of the PPESK composites were also investigated with a ball‐on‐disc test rig. The wear debris and the worn surfaces of the PPESK composites were investigated with scanning electron microscopy, and the structures of the PPESK composites were analyzed with IR spectra. The lowest wear rate, 7.31 × 10^?6 mm³ N^?1 m^?1, was obtained for the composite filled with 1 vol %‐nanometer Al₂O₃ particles. The composite with nanometer particles exhibited a higher friction coefficient (0.58–0.64) than unfilled PPESK (0.55). The wear rate of 1 vol %‐nanometer‐Al₂O₃‐particle‐filled PPESK was stable and was lower than that of unfilled PPESK from the ambient temperature to 270°C. We anticipate that 1 vol %‐nanometer‐Al₂O₃‐particle‐filled PPESK can be used as a good frictional material. We also found that micrometer‐Al₂O₃‐particle‐filled PPESK had a lower friction coefficient at a filler volume fraction below 5%. The filling of micrometer Al₂O₃ particles greatly increased the wear resistance of PPESK under filler volume fractions from 1 to 12.5%. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 95: 993–1001, 2005     

Fine poly(ether ether ketone) powders

The physical form of polymers is often important for carrying out subsequent processing operations. For example, fine powders are desirable for molding and sintering compounds because they consolidate to produce void free components. The objective of this work is to prepare fine polymeric particulates suitable for processing into fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites. Micron size particles of poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) were prepared by rapidly quenching solutions of these materials. PEEK pellets were dissolved at temperatures near the PEEK melting point in a mixture of terphenyls and quaterphenyls; then the solution was quenched to a temperature between the T_g and T_m (≈ 225°C) by adding a room temperature eutectic mixture of diphenyl ether and biphenyl. A supersaturated, metastable solution of PEEK resulted, causing rapid nucleation. Fine PEEK particles rapidly crystallized from this solution. The average particle size was measured using transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and by light scattering of aqueous suspensions which had been fractionated by centrifugation. The average particle diameter was about 0.6 μm. Three dimensional photomicrographs obtained via atomic force microscopy showed some aggregates in the suspensions. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 63: 1571–1578, 1997