Low Friction Coefficient Property of Super Fiber-Reinforced Composites

Abstract

This paper focuses on using the high strength and low friction coefficient properties of 'super fibers', such as ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, to develop high performance fiber-reinforced composites with low friction coefficient properties. Dyneema SK60 (an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber) and three other representative high performance fibers (super fibers), are optimized in combination with an epoxy resin polymer matrix and compression molding to produce new low friction composites. As a result, for the developed four super fiber-reinforced composites, an obvious difference of friction coefficient properties was observed. The friction coefficients of composites across the fiber lay-up were generally lower than those of specimens cut along the direction of the fiber lay-up with a significant fiber direction dependence. The Dyneema fiber-reinforced composite exhibited the lowest and most stable friction coefficient properties. This low friction coefficient may be attributed to a phenomenon of 'reticular residue effect' as the most likely cause. The fiber mass fraction of the composites contributed a significant amount to the antifriction properties of the materials: samples with a higher fiber mass fraction had a lower friction coefficient. These results indicated that the developed composites described here, with high strength and low friction coefficients, are expected to find wide application in the field of anti-friction parts and energy saving.