The study of friction layer and tribological property of PI–matrix composites

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to study the friction layer and tribological property of polyimide (PI)–matrix composites under different friction speeds.

Design/methodology/approach

Friction tests were conducted under friction speeds ranging from 20-120 km/h and pressure of 0.57 MPa by a pin-on-disk tribometer.

Findings

The results indicate that the friction coefficient decreases with the increasing of the friction speed. Under different friction speeds, the structure of the friction layer and debris are different, which affects the actual tribological performance of the composites. At low friction speed, the morphology of the friction layer is mainly particulate. The higher level of clenching action between the friction pair leads to a high friction coefficient, and the morphology of the particles in the particulate zone and the wear debris are mostly equiaxial particles. At high friction speed, the morphology of the friction layer is mainly a compact zone. The reduction of the surface roughness leads to a low friction coefficient. The debris collected on the counter surface at high friction speeds are mostly big sheets, and the morphology of the particles in the particulate zone is mostly rod-like. Controlling the conditions of the disk and the pin can reveal the influence of friction speed on the friction layer. The wear mechanisms at different friction speeds are also discussed.

Originality/value

By controlling the conditions of the disk and the pin to reveal the influence of friction speed on the friction layer, and the evolutions of the friction layer, wear debris were carefully inspected with the aim of demonstrating the relationship between friction speed and wear mechanism of PI–matrix composites.

Citation

Xu, X., Lu, X., Qin, Z. and Yang, D. (2017), "The study of friction layer and tribological property of PI–matrix composites", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 69 No. 2, pp. 267-275. https://doi.org/10.1108/ILT-02-2016-0035