Tribological Investigation of a Low Friction, Low Wear Polymer/Polymer Composite

Abstract

Wear resistant and low friction solid lubricants offer the design engineer attractive options for extreme environment lubrication, particularly in situations where the use of fluid lubricants are precluded. Past work with wear resistant PTFE nanocomposites made with sub 100nm particles of alumina showed that the nanoparticles decorate the PTFE surface during jet-milling process. Subsequent compression molding of these powders is believed to result in a compartmentalize PTFE composite. It is hypothesized that these reinforcing nanoparticles arrest crack propagation, although there is qualitative evidence that they weaken strength of the composite. The hypothesis for this investigation was to use small particles of PEEK as the filler, which can act to compartmentalize damage and form a structural filler network that would not require matrix/filler strength for mechanical integrity. The tribological properties of composite samples ranging from 0–100 weight percent PEEK filled PTFE were evaluated in this study.