Polymer Tribology Research Articles

The effect of controlled surface topographical features on the unlubricated transfer and wear of PEEK

Transfer films play an important role in the tribology of polymers and other sliding contacts where wear debris constitutes a significant portion of the interfacial tribosystem. In addition, counterface topographical features strongly influence the physical and mechanical entrapment of wear debris and influence the growth and propagation of transfer films. In this study, to investigate the effects of topographical features on polymer transfer, a novel scribing apparatus capable of creating controlled surface topography on metallic counterfaces for pin-on-disk testing has been developed. Hardened steel counterfaces were scribed to various surface topographies using this apparatus and three-pin-on-disk wear tests were conducted to assess the effects of certain topographical parameters on the wear and transfer film formation of a high-performance thermoplastic polymer: polyetheretherketone (PEEK). Observations related to the morphology of select transfer films are presented and discussed in light of the results.

The application of Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy to polymer tribology

This paper reviews the use of Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy for investigations in polymer tribology. In particular, a number of studies dealing with the problem of surface plasticisation in engineering polymers have been reported and are reviewed in this paper. The polymers poly(ether ether ketone), Nylon and polycarbonate have been investigated and are discussed here.

The application of Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy to polymer tribology

The application of Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy to polymer tribology

Some interesting problems that remain unsolved in my work on polymer tribology

Some interesting problems that remain unsolved in my work on polymer tribology

Tribology of polymers

Tribological studies were performed on the friction and wear behaviour of polymers under conditions of dry sliding. The investigations were carried out with thermoplastics suitable for practical applications, eg HDPE, PP, PTFE, PA 6, PA 66, POM, PETP, PBTP, PI, as well as with some filled and reinforced polymers and composite materials. For polymer-polymer sliding pairs, the experimentally determined friction values could be related to the surface energies of the material pairings. In the case of polymer-metal sliding pairs, a relationship between the combined interfacial stresses and the rupture strength of the polymers was found. In addition to the review of correlations between the tribological behaviour of thermoplastics and material properties, the dependency of wear and friction on surface roughness, sliding velocity and contact pressure for various filled polymers is described.