Structural and tribological properties of polytetrafluoroethylene composites in atomic oxygen environment

Effects of atomic oxygen (AO) irradiation on the structural and tribological behaviors of glass fiber (GF) and MoS₂ filled polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composites were investigated in a ground‐based simulation facility, in which the average energy of AO was about 5 eV and the flux was 5.0 × 10¹⁵ cm^–2 s^–1. The structural changes were characterized by XPS and attenuated total‐reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and the tribological changes were evaluated by friction and wear tests and SEM analysis of the worn surfaces. It was found that AO irradiation induced the degradation of PTFE molecular chains, and the primary erosion mechanism is collisionally induced rather than chemically induced. The addition of MoS₂ filler significantly increased the AO resistance of PTFE composites. Friction and wear tests indicated that GF and MoS₂ improved the tribological properties of materials before and after AO irradiation. Short GF and MoS₂ exhibited a good synergistic effect for improving the AO resistant and tribological properties of PTFE material. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of atomic oxygen irradiation on the structural and tribological characteristics of polytetrafluoroethylene and its composites

Based on the ground‐based simulation facility, the effects of atomic oxygen (AO) irradiation on the structural and tribological properties of pure polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and carbon fiber and MoS₂‐filled PTFE composites were studied by scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and a ball‐on‐disc tribometer. The results shown that AO irradiation had significant effects on the structural and tribological properties of pure PTFE, in which the surface morphologies, mass loss, friction coefficient, and wear rate had been changed greatly after AO irradiation. However, it was noticeable that the addition of carbon fiber and MoS₂ filler to PTFE could improve the AO resist capacity and tribological properties of PTFE composites significantly. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of atomic oxygen irradiation on structural and tribological properties of polyimide/Al2O3 composites

To understand the effects of atomic oxygen (AO) irradiation on the structural and tribological behaviors of polymer composites, polyimide/Al₂O₃ composites were irradiated with AO in a ground‐based simulation facility. The structural changes were characterized by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and attenuated total‐reflection FTIR, whereas the tribological changes were evaluated by friction and wear tests as well as scanning electron microscopy analysis of the worn surfaces. It was found that AO irradiation induced the oxidation and degradation of polyimide molecular chains, which increased the O concentration and decreased the C concentration in the composite surfaces. The destruction action of AO changed the surface chemical structure and morphology of the samples. Friction and wear tests indicated that AO irradiation decreased the friction coefficient but increased the wear rate of both pure and Al₂O₃ filled polyimides. In terms of the tribological properties, appropriate content of Al₂O₃ might be favorable for the improvement of tribological properties in AO environment. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The oxidation‐treated interface on tribological properties of carbon fibers‐reinforced PTFE composite under oil‐lubricated condition

The effect of air oxidation and ozone surface treatment of carbon fibers (CF) on tribological properties of CF reinforced polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composites under oil‐lubricated condition was investigated. Experimental results revealed that ozone treated CF reinforced PTFE (CF–PTFE) composite had the lowest friction coefficient and wear under various applied loads and sliding speeds compared with untreated and air‐oxidated composites. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) study of carbon fiber surface showed that, after ozone treatment, oxygen concentration was obviously increased, and the amount of oxygen‐containing groups on CF surfaces was largely increased. The increase in the amount of oxygen‐containing groups enhanced interfacial adhesion between CF and PTFE matrix. With strong interfacial adhesion of the composite, stress could be effectively transmitted to carbon fibers; carbon fibers were strongly bonded with PTFE matrix and large scale rubbing‐off of PTFE was prevented, therefore, the tribological properties of the composite were improved. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Friction and Wear of Semi-Crystalline Polytetrafluoroethylene with Spherulitic Micro-Morphology

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is an important engineering material with a low coefficient of friction but a high rate of wear. As a semi‐crystalline polymer, its wear resistance is related to its micro‐morphology. Friction and wear properties of semi‐crystalline non‐spherulitic PTFE have been widely studied, but no investigation is reported about tribological properties of spherulitic PTFE due to difficulties in finding such properties. In this paper, friction and wear properties of PTFE with spherulitic micro‐morphology are studied for the first time. The results show that, first, under the same experimental condition, when two kinds of PTFE are rubbed against the steel disc, the number and size of debris of spherulitic PTFE are much less and smaller than that of debris of PTFE without spherulitic crystals. This means that the wear resistance of spherulitic PTFE is better than that of semi‐crystalline PTFE without spherulitic micro‐morphology. Second, the friction property of spherulitic PTFE is also different from that of PTFE without spherulitic crystals. Finally, the friction and wear mechanisms of spherulitic PTFE and non‐spherulitic PTFE are compared.     

Comparative study of the effects of nano‐sized and micro‐sized CF and PTFE on the thermal and tribological properties of PEEK composites

The tribological characteristics of PEEK composites fretting against GCr 15 steel were investigated by a SRV‐IV oscillating reciprocating ball‐on‐disk tribometer. In order to clarify the effect of type and size of fillers on the properties of PEEK composites, nano‐sized and micro‐sized CF and PTFE fillers were added to the PEEK matrix. The thermal conductivity, hardness, and fretting wear properties of PEEK composites reinforced by CF or PTFE were comparatively studied. The results showed that the type and size of the fillers have an important effect on both the friction coefficient and wear rate, by affecting their thermal conductivity, hardness, as well as the surface areas of their transfer films. In comparison, the effect on improving the tribological properties of micro‐sized CF was superior to that of nano‐sized CF, while the effect of nano‐sized PTFE was superior to that of micro‐sized PTFE. Considering the acceptable friction coefficient and wear rate of the composite under the fretting wear test, it seemed that 4% nCF, 20% mCF, 2% nPTFE and 10% mPTFE were desired additive proportions. And it also can be found that during the fretting wear test, the abrasive and adhesive wear resulted in accumulative debris at the contacting surface. The transfer films made of debris were formed on the counterfaces.     

Effect of maleic anhydride‐grafted polytetrafluoroethylene on the tensile and tribological properties of blending polytetrafluoroethylene with polyamide‐6

Blending polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) to polyamide‐6 (PA6) with and without maleic anhydride‐grafted polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE‐g‐MA) was produced in a corotating twin screw extruder, where PTFE acts as the polymer matrix and PA6 as the dispersed phase. The effect of PTFE‐g‐MA on the tensile properties and tribological propertiesof PTFE/PA6 polymer blends is studied. Results show that the structural stability and morphology of the blends were greatly improved by PTFE‐g‐PA6 grafted copolymers, which were formed by the in situ reaction of anhydride groups with the amino end groups of PA6 during reactive extrusion forming an imidic linkage. The presence of PTFE‐g‐PA6 in the PTFE continuous phase improves the interfacial adhesion, as a result of the creation of an interphase that was formed by the interaction between the formed PTFE‐g‐PA6 copolymer in situ and both phases. Compared with thePTFE/PA6 without PTFE‐g‐MA, the PTFE/PA6 with PTFE‐g‐MAhad the lowest friction coefficient and wear under given applied load and reciprocating sliding frequency. The interfacial compatibility of the composite prevented the rubbing‐off of PA6, accordingly improved the friction and wear properties of the composite. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

高性能耐高温聚合物复合材料的摩擦磨损性能研究

介绍了一些常见的高性能耐高温聚合物及其复合材料的摩擦与磨损性能的研究及其新进展,包括聚四氟乙烯(PTFE)、聚醚醚酮(PEEK)、聚苯硫醚(PPS)、聚酰亚胺(PI)等.并讨论了不同种类的填料,如纤维、固体润滑剂、无机化合物以及无机纳米粒子对高性能耐高温聚合物基复合材料摩擦系数及磨损率的影响,许多研究结果表明,适量填料的加入能提高聚合物基复合材料的耐磨性能,特别是填料的协同作用对降低复合材料的摩擦系数及磨损率有更大的帮助.     

Effect of solid lubricant particles on the tribological properties of PTFE composites lubricated with natural seawater

An orthogonal test was used to design different mixture ratios of molybdenum disulfide(MoS₂), graphite, and SiO₂ particles, which were filled with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composite. MoS₂-, graphite-, and SiO₂-modified PTFE was obtained by pressing and sintering, and the processing parameters were determined using progressive studies and experiments. The friction and wear properties of different PTFE composites lubricated with natural seawater were analyzed using an MMU-5G wear tester. A laser scanning confocal microscope was employed to examine the morphological characteristics of the worn surface. Moreover, the influence of particle proportions on the tribological property of composites was analyzed. Results show that the addition of SiO₂, MoS₂, and graphite can increase the bearing capacity, improve the wear resistance, reduce the friction coefficient, and increase the self-lubricating ability of the PTFE matrix.     

Friction and wear behavior of PI and PTFE composites for ultrasonic motors

High‐performance polymer‐based frictional materials have become increasingly important to improve the mechanical output properties of ultrasonic motors. This study discussed the friction and wear behavior of 2 dominating frictional materials of polymer composites for ultrasonic motors, polyimide (PI), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) filled by aramid fibers (AF) and molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂). To explore the wear mechanisms, the tribo‐pair contact stress was theoretically characterized, and the interface temperature rise was numerically predicted. The predictions showed that the flash temperature on asperity tips could reach the glass transition temperature of the polymer materials. The experimental results indicated that the contact stress and sliding speed have a small effect on the friction of the PI composite but influence considerably the friction of the PTFE composite. A higher contact stress brings about a higher specific wear rate, but a higher sliding speed reduces the wear rate. Compared with AF/MoS₂/PTFE, the AF/MoS₂/PI has much better tribological performance under high loads and speeds.     

Effects of UV irradiation on tribological properties of nano‐TiO2 thin films

One‐layer and two‐layer nano‐TiO₂ thin films were prepared on the surface of common glass by sol–gel processing. Water contact angle, surface morphology, tribological properties of the films before and after ultraviolet (UV) irradiation were investigated using DSA100 drop shape analyzer, scanning probe microscopy (SPM), SEM and universal micro‐materials tester (second generation) (UMT‐2MT) friction and wear tester, respectively. The stored films markedly resumed their hydrophilicity after UV irradiation. But UV irradiation worsened tribological properties of the films. After the film was irradiated by UV, the friction coefficient between the film and GCr15 steel ball increased about 10–50% and its wear life shortened about 20–90%. Abrasive wear, brittle break and adherence wear are the failure mechanisms of nano‐TiO₂ thin films. It was believed that UV irradiation increased surface energy of the film and then aggravated adherence wear of the film at initial stage of friction process leading to severe brittle fracture and abrasive wear. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of modified glass fiber on tribological performance of water-lubricated bearing

Glass fiber (GF) is becoming one of the most popular reinforcement materials used in many fields. However, it still has some disadvantages such as brittleness and poor wear resistance. In order to improve its tribological property, the GF was modified and use high-density polyethylene (HDPE) as the matrix material to verify it. In this work, friction tests of HDPE samples with seven different compositions of modified GF were carried out. Different working conditions were applied to determine the tribological properties and service life as used in water-lubricated bearings. Their friction coefficient, surface morphology, wear scar, wear quality and wear mechanism were investigated. The results showed that the modified GF could significantly improve the HDPE tribological properties. Moreover, the wear mechanism of pure HDPE was mainly adhesive wear and slight fatigue wear, and the composite material was mainly abrasive wear. The 30% GF composite material had the best wear resistance, its friction coefficient was reduced by 51.56% under 0.4 MPa and 500 r/min. The findings from this experiment will provide a new method for reducing friction and wear of water-lubricated bearings.     

Research on high temperature friction properties of PTFE/Fluorosilicone rubber/silicone rubber

Silicone rubber (MVQ) has excellent heat resistance, but poor high temperature friction stability, which limits its application in the field of high temperature sealing. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is self-lubricating, but its compatibility with rubber is relatively weak. In order to improve the high-temperature friction property of silicone rubber, fluorosilicone rubber (FVMQ) was used as a compatibilizer, and PTFE was added to MVQ by mechanical blending. The friction and wear properties of PTFE/FVMQ/MVQ composites at different temperatures were studied. The results show that compared with MVQ, the mechanical properties of PTFE/FVMQ/MVQ composites was basically unchanged, the coefficient of friction was hardly affected by temperature, and the amount of wear decreased with increasing temperature. PTFE/FVMQ/MVQ composites showed excellent high-temperature abrasion resistance. The high-temperature wear mode was mainly changed from abrasive wear to adhesive wear. The molten layer formed by high-temperature friction can prevent air from directly contacting the surface rubber, which inhibited rubber surface oxidation reaction process.     

Structure and tribological properties of Cu–PU–PTFE composite coatings prepared by low‐energy electron beam dispersion with glow discharge

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composite coatings doped copper acetate and polyurethane (PU) were prepared on rubber substrate by low‐energy electron beam dispersion technique. The effects of dopant and glow discharge treatment on the surface morphology, structure and tribological properties of the coatings were investigated. The results showed that Cu–PTFE composite coatings form uniform surface and dense column structure with spherical aggregations under glow discharge treatment. PU coating shows the large size of protuberance structure but PU–PTFE coating presents spherical structure. Both of the coatings become relative dense and smooth after discharge treatment, and Cu–PU–PTFE composite coatings possess a smoother surface and lower polar component of surface energy. Cu doping weakens the crystallinity and ordering degree of composite coatings, but glow discharge increases the ordering degree and branched structure of C―H groups. Friction experiment indicated that Cu fails to improve the wear resistance of PTFE coatings but glow discharge treatment can do it. Cu–PU–PTFE coatings after discharge treatment have the higher wear resistance and lower coefficient of friction. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tribological properties of graphene nanosheets as an additive in calcium grease

The addition of graphene nanosheets (GNSs) in lubricating grease could significantly reduce the interfacial friction and improve the load-bearing capacity of the parts. Therefore, it has been considered as having great potential as lubricant additives. In this study, we synthesized GNSs that are prepared by a modified Hummer method, and investigated the effect of GNS with different concentration (0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4?wt%) on the tribological properties of the calcium grease. The friction and wear experiments were performed using a four-ball tribometer. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to examine the GNS and the friction mechanisms. Results indicate that the friction reduction ability and anti-wear property of the base grease can be improved with the addition of GNS. It was also found that the friction reduction decreases by 61%, and the wear scar diameter (WSD) decreases by 45%, and the extreme-pressure (EP) properties increased 60% at 3?wt% GNS. It is clear that the GNS in grease easily forms protective deposited films to prevent the rubbing surfaces from coming into direct contact, thereby improving the entire tribological behavior of the grease.     

Effect of surface orientation on the tribological properties of laser sintered polyamide 12

Experiments have been carried out to determine the tribological properties of laser sintered polyamide 12 (PA12). The effect of surface orientation on the wear properties was studied, which showed anisotropic behaviour. Laser sintered specimens were polished to achieve better surface finish for the wear tests. Tribological testing results showed that the wear resistance was greater and the coefficient of friction was smaller for the side surfaces as compared to the top surfaces. Experimental details and possible reasons for the results obtained are further discussed in the paper.     

A new family of low wear,low coefficient of friction polymer blend based on polytetrafluoroethylene and an aromatic thermosetting polyester

To improve the wear resistance of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a crosslinked aromatic thermosetting polyester (ATSP) has been blended directly with PTFE. Cured ATSP powder which was directly synthesized as a cured powder form was used for this application. Because of the similar processing temperature range of cured ATSP and PTFE, composites within the entire composition range were successfully prepared by blending these two powders using a hot press. Tribological pin‐on‐disk tests (composite pins sliding against gray cast iron disks) showed improvement on friction coefficient of all composites and much less wear than pure PTFE. The composites survived at contact pressures of 7 MPa, which is higher than either pure PTFE or pure ATSP could sustain. With an increase in the amount of ATSP in the composites, storage modulus, and glass transition temperature were higher, and the wear resistance was enhanced. SEM images helped provide explanations for the unusually low mean wear rates that were observed for these composite samples. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Study on tribological behaviors of short glass fiber and polytetrafluoroethylene reinforced polycarbonate composites via a d‐optimal mixture design

This study analyzed variations of tribological behaviors that depend on the injection molding techniques during the blending of short glass fiber (SGF) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) reinforced polycarbonate (PC) composites. The proposed planning of blending experiments is to use a D‐optimal mixture design (DMD). The tribological behaviors of friction coefficient and wear mass loss were selected for discussion. Nine experimental runs, based on a DMD method, utilized to train the back‐propagation neural network (BPNN) and then the simulated annealing algorithm (SAA) approach is applied to search for an optimal mixture ratio setting. In addition, the result of BPNN integrating SAA was also compared with response surface methodology (RSM) approach. The results of confirmation experiment show that DMD, RSM, and BPNN integrating SAA method are effective tools for the optimization of reinforced process. Furthermore, the scanning electron microscope (SEM) images show that the abundant debris are peeled off from the matrix materials and predominant delamination mechanisms and plastic deformation are shown on the worn surface after tribological behavior tests. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ni-P-无机类富勒烯WS_2纳米材料化学复合镀层的制备及其摩擦学性能初步研究

用化学复合镀技术制备了含有无机类富勒烯硫化钨纳米材料的Ni-P-(IF-WS_2) 复合镀层。用环-块摩擦实验测试了Ni-P-(IF-SW_2)的摩擦学性能。研究结果表明 它比与Ni-P，Ni-P-(层状2H-WS_2)和Ni-P-石墨复合镀层具有更高的耐磨性能和更 低的摩擦系数。分析了无机类富勒烯纳米材料改善镀层摩擦学性能的机理。     

The influence of polypyrrole coatings on the mechanical and friction and wear properties of bamboo fiber filled PA6 composites

The effects of polypyrrole coatings on the tensile and tribological properties of bamboo fiber reinforced polyamide 6 (PA6) composites were studied. Tribological tests were conducted using a block‐on‐ring arrangement. It was observed that the polypyrrole coatings played a main role in the tensile‐resistant and wear‐resistant properties of the PA6 composites. The tensile properties were ruled by the fiber‐matrix adhesion. And the excellent tribological performance of the fillers improved the tribological properties of PA6 composites. The optimum content of polypyrrole coating concentration is 7vol%.