Tribological behavior of selected engineering polymers under rolling contact

The rolling wear behavior of unfilled polyamide 6, polyoxymethylene and polyetheretherketone materials were investigated, using different wear testing rigs. In most of them, a steel ball rolls on the polymer plate surface in a rotational or linear motion. The results qualify the different polymers with regard to their resistance against rolling wear. The potential of various fillers and reinforcements for a possible improvement was also identified. But almost all showed an insufficient suitability when compared to the unfilled materials. Differences in wear mechanisms were illustrated by microscopic methods. But more works need to be done to understand all the interesting observations.