Tribological Performance of Polyetheretherketone Composite Added with Polytetrafluoroethylene Micro-powder

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK)composites containing polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)micro-powder with different content were prepared by mechanical mixing at room temperature and hot compressing molding. The mechanical properties, friction and wear properties and wear morphology of the composite were studied, and the friction and wear mechanism was discussed. The results show that with increasing content of PTFE micro-powder, Rockwell hardness and compression strength of the composite decreased; the friction coefficient decreased and the volume wear loss decreased first and then increased under dry friction condition. The volume wear loss under dry friction condition was the smallest when the mass fraction of PTFE micro-powder was 5%. The friction coefficient and volume wear loss under oil and water lubrication conditions were both smaller than that under dry friction condition. The volume wear loss decreased under oil lubrication condition and increased under water lubrication condition with the increase of PTFE micro-powder content. The wear mechanism of composite under dry friction condition was mainly abrasive wear accompanied by fatigue wear; a small amount of lamellar PTFE wear debris and enrichment of carbon fiber were found on the surface of the composite under oil lubrication condition; the surface of the composite was covered by PTFE micro lamella, and micro cracks and cavities existed in the local area under water lubrication condition.