Ultralow friction PTFE/PEEK heterolayer: A new solid lubrication approach toward simplicity

Wei SUN; Jiaxin YE; Qingrui SONG; Yi FENG; Xiaojun LIU

doi:10.1007/s40544-023-0747-9

Friction 2024, 12(1): 120-135 https://doi.org/10.1007/s40544-023-0747-9

Research Article |

Open Access | Issue | Published: 22 June 2023

Ultralow friction PTFE/PEEK heterolayer: A new solid lubrication approach toward simplicity

Show Author's Information Hide Author's Information Wei SUN^¹, Jiaxin YE^², Qingrui SONG^², Yi FENG^¹, Xiaojun LIU^²(

)

1 School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China

2 Institute of Tribology, School of Mechanical Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China

Keywords:

ultralow friction, anti-wear, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), heterolayer (HL)

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SUN W, YE J, SONG Q, et al. Ultralow friction PTFE/PEEK heterolayer: A new solid lubrication approach toward simplicity. Friction, 2024, 12(1): 120-135. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40544-023-0747-9

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Abstract

Tribological applications of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) are often limited by technological complexity to overcome its poor wear resistance. Here, a PTFE/polyetheretherketone (PEEK) heterolayer (HL) was proposed and evaluated as a new solid lubrication solution. Pin-on-disk tribometry found the lowest friction coefficient (μ) of 0.031 and ultralow wear for the PEEK/HL under typical conditions. The friction coefficient of the HL surpasses those of the state-of-the-art polymeric coatings/composites by at least 200%, and approaches that of highly lubricated interfaces. Mechanistic investigations revealed multi-length physical and chemical heterogeneity of the HL that best facilitates a tribofilm with high subsurface stability and surface instability. The technological simplicity and robustness of the HL’s high lubricity make it a promising new type of solid lubrication toward greater reliability and longevity.

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Ultralow friction PTFE/PEEK heterolayer: A new solid lubrication approach toward simplicity

Show Author's information Hide Author's Information Wei SUN^¹, Jiaxin YE^², Qingrui SONG^², Yi FENG^¹, Xiaojun LIU^²(

)

1 School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China

2 Institute of Tribology, School of Mechanical Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China

Abstract

Keywords: ultralow friction, anti-wear, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), heterolayer (HL)

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Acknowledgements

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Publication history

Received: 11 November 2022

Revised: 03 January 2023

Accepted: 08 February 2023

Published: 22 June 2023

Issue date: January 2024

Copyright

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51875153 and 51875152) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (JZ2021HGPA0062). We also gratefully thank Yu NING and Gang QIAN from Hefei University of Technology for their help in the spectroscopy analysis and Dr. ZHU from East China University of Science and Technology for his support in simulation work.

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