The friction and wear characteristics of nanometer SiC and polytetrafluoroethylene filled polyetheretherketone

The tribological behavior of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) filled with nanome ter SiC and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) was studied. The composite speci mens with different filler proportions were prepared by compression molding . The effect of PTFE on the friction and wear properties of nanometer SiC f illed PEEK was investigated on a block-on-ring machine by running a plain c arbon steel (AISI 1045 steel) ring against the PEEK composite block. The mo rphologies of the worn surfaces and the transfer film were observed by scan ning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). X-r ay photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis was performed to detect the ch emical changes during the wear process. It was found that the friction redu ction and wear resistance capacities of nanometer SiC and PTFE were weakene d, when nanometer SiC and PTFE were filled together into PEEK. The morpholo gies of worn surfaces and the properties of transfer films became bad. The reason for this was due to the chemical reaction between the nanometer SIC and PTFE during the compression molding process and the sliding friction pr ocess. It was just the formation of the SIFx by depleting some nanometer Si C and the added PTFE that determined the tribological characteristics of th e SiC-PTFE-PEEK composites. When the PTFE volume percent was low then the S iFx caused the friction and wear of the SiC-PTFE-PEEK composite to rise sin ce most of the PTFE and nanometer SiC had been altered and their low fricti on destroyed. However, at high volume percents the low friction PTFE domina ted the friction and wear behaviors and the friction decreased as the perce ntage of PTFE increased. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved .