Friction and Wear Properties of Bronze Powder Filled Polyacetal/Polyethylene(LDPE, HDPE, HMWHDPE)Blends.

Abstract

The friction and wear properties of filled polyacetal (POM)/polyethylene (PE) blends have been studied. The fillers used were amino silane coupling agent treated and untreated bronze powder. And low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE) and high molecular weight high density polyethylene (HMWHDPE) were used as blended polymers in POM. A thrust washer type testing apparatus, in which the end surface of the tubular specimen is rubbed with a slider (S45C) under unlubricated conditions, was employed for the friction and wear tests. Frictional surfaces were observed using an optical microscope and an electron probe X-ray microanalyzer to examine the role of filler and blended polymers in the friction and wear of filled polymer blends. The wear rates of bronze powder filled POM/PE (LDPE, HDPE, HMWHDPE) blends were smaller than those of POM/PE (LDPE, HDPE, HMWHDPE) blends and bronze powder filled POM. The synergistic effect of bronze powder and PE particle of blended polymers decreased the wear rate of bronze powder filled POM/PE. The coefficients of friction of bronze powder filled and unfilled POM/PE (LDPE, HDPE) were smaller than that of POM. The effect of the surface treatment of the bronze powder treated with amino silane coupling agent improved for the coefficient of friction and wear rate of bronze powder filled POM and POM/PE (LDPE, HMWHDPE) blends. It was suggested that bronze powder and the PE particle of blended polymers in POM mainly bore the load applied to the frictional surface (namely load bearing action) and contributed to enhance the friction and wear properties.