Influence of Compression Load and Counterface Roughness on Abrasive Wear Characteristic of UHMWPE

Abstract

This paper studies the influence of work conditions, difference compression load and counterface roughness, on UHMWPE under abrasive wear test without lubrication according to GOST 426-77. It was found that the formation of deep and wide furrows on worn surface and abrasive intensity increased when the number of grit grade was decreased (average grit size increase). The behavior of abrasive wear can be classified as follows: the first characteristic volume loss quickly increases in the beginning of running time about 5-15 minutes, which is referred to as “run-in” wearing stage; the second characteristic volume loss regularly increases after running time about 15 minutes, which is approaching to “steady-state” wearing stage. In addition, the abrasive wear intensity increase with increasing compression load and/or decreasing number of grit grade (average grit size increase). The results of this research can be applied to abrasive applications in mechanical engineering.