Surface Damage Characteristics and Specific Wear Rates of a New Continuous Carbon Fiber (CF) / Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) Composite under Sliding and Rolling Contact Conditions

The surface damage characteristics of a continuous carbon fiber reinforced composite, having a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) matrix, were investigated under sliding and rolling contact. The corresponding mechanisms were studied by the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in three different fiber orientations, namely: Paralllel direction to the fibers, AntiParallel direction to the fibers, and Normal direction to the fibers. All wear tests were conducted against smooth steel surfaces for both contact conditions. Mechanical properties under tension, compression, and shear were investigated for the material at two different temperature levels, i.e. room temperature and 150 °C. The composite material under normal fiber orientation has the lowest specific wear rate in case of rolling wear while the parallel orientation has the lowest specific wear rate under sliding wear conditions. Both results were compared to wear data of the neat PEEK matrix.