Effect of temperature on the tribological properties of Polytetrafluoroethylene/Kevlar fabric/phenolic composites

The Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)/Kevlar fabric/phenolic composites have been widely used as self-lubricating materials owing to their excellent properties. In this study, the tribological properties of PTFE/Kevlar fabric composites under different temperatures (25-150 degrees C) were studied showing the lowest wear rate and friction coefficient at 75 degrees C. The effect of temperature on wear behavior of fabric/phenolic composites was revealed through the analysis of friction surfaces, wear debris, and transfer films. To be specific, the improvement of tribological properties occur in a temperature range of 25-75 degrees C being predominantly caused by the abrasive wear, whereas in the range of 75-150 degrees C, the tribological properties decreased because of the adhesive wear. According to this phenomenon, the friction and wear test of the fabric composite after pre-grinding at 75 degrees C shows a great improvement of coefficient of friction (COF) and wear rate about 30%. The study of the wear behavior at different temperatures is important for the application and properties improvement of self-lubricated composites.