Abstract
Polymer materials are used increasingly in marine machinery and equipment; their tribological properties and effect on the water environment have garnered significant attention. We investigate the effect of water or seawater environment containing powder on tribology and electrochemistry of polymer materials. A friction test involving nylon 66 (PA66) and an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) pin–disc (aluminum alloy) is performed in seawater or water with/without polymer powder, and the solution is analyzed electrochemically. The results show that the tribological properties of the UHMWPE improved by adding the powder to the solution, whereas the PA66 powder demonstrates abrasive wear in a pure water environment, which elucidates that the synergistic effect of powder and seawater on UHMWPE reduces the wear, and the synergistic effect of pure water and powder aggravates the wear. The results of electrochemical experiments show that after adding powder in the friction and wear tests, the powder can protect the pin by forming a physical barrier on the surface and reducing corrosion, and the changes are more obvious in seawater with powder in it. Through electrochemical and tribological experiments, the synergistic effect of solution environment and powder was proved.
Highlights
Owing to the depletion of land resources and the gradual discovery of marine resources in recent years, ocean exploration has increased worldwide [1,2,3,4]
Liu [13] investigated the relationship between hydrostatic pressure and the wear behavior of thermoplastic polymers sliding in seawater
Some researchers have investigated the wear mechanism, wear state, and other properties of polymer materials by analyzing the existing state, particle size distribution, and agglomeration of debris accumulated in the lubricating fluid; this approach has not been applied to mechanical research [22]
Summary
Owing to the depletion of land resources and the gradual discovery of marine resources in recent years, ocean exploration has increased worldwide [1,2,3,4]. After performing the friction tests, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal scanning optical microscopy were performed to investigate the wear mechanism of the polymer in an aqueous environment with wear debris, and the three-dimensional surface topography of the wear scar was characterized to obtain its width and depth. The findings of this empirical study will provide insights into the mechanism of polymer wear debris in seawater and water environments, thereby enriching the tribological theory of polymers
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