An investigation of the wear of polymeric materials
Wear, 122 (3):
329-342 (1988)DOI: 10.1016/0043-1648(88)90018-X
Abstract
A study has been made of the wear of the polymers, polytetrafluoroethylene, polypropylene, polyoxymethylene, high density polyethylene, poly(vinyl chloride), polyamide and poly(methyl methacrylate), during sliding against abrasive papers, polished steel and like polymer countersurfaces. With the exception of poly(methyl methacrylate) and, to a lesser extent, polytetrafluoroethylene, there is a reasonable correlation between the wear rate of the polymer against abrasive paper and an expression involving the ploughing component of friction, the hardness, the tensile strength and the elongation to failure of the polymer as measured in tensile tests. Adhesive wear rates for like-on-like sliding are approximately proportional to the abrasive wear rates against SiC abrasive papers, although the absolute values are about 105 times smaller. In the wear process, material is drawn from the polymer surfaces, producing wear debris in the form of sheets or layers. Such debris may contain cracks or flaws and become further fragmented or compacted together to form aggregates.