Textured Surfaces Preparation and Tribological Properties of PTFE/PMMA and PEEK/PMMA Composites With Steel Spheres Embedded on Their Surfaces

Abstract

Textured surfaces were prepared by embedding 304 stainless steel spheres (SS) on the surfaces of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)- and poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK)-filled polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)-based composites. The synergistic effects of surface texture and filling modification on the dry sliding friction and wear properties of SS/PTFE/PMMA and SS/PEEK/PMMA composites were investigated using a ring-on-disc contact. The results show that regular and ordered spherical bulges (surface textures) are prepared by embedding steel spheres on the surfaces of PMMA-based composites, reducing friction compared with that of nontextured material. With the PTFE and PEEK filling mass ratios increasing, the friction coefficients of SS/PTFE/PMMA and SS/PEEK/PMMA composites decrease, but the wear rates decrease first and then remain unchanged. SS/7 wt% PTFE/PMMA has the lowest friction coefficient and wear rate, which decreases 51% and 70%, respectively, compared with SS/PMMA composite. There are three microwear regions of SS/PMMA, SS/PTFE/PMMA, and SS/PEEK/PMMA composites. The wear mechanism is different in each microwear region.

Keywords:

• PMMA-based composite
• surface texture
• friction
• wear

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province (grant no. E2019203033).