Top

Hint

Swipe to navigate through the articles of this issue

Published in:

01-02-2023 | Original Paper

Ultralow Wear Behavior of Iron–Cobalt-Filled PTFE Composites

Authors: Kylie E. Van Meter, Tomas F. Babuska, Christopher P. Junk, Kasey L. Campbell, Mark A. Sidebottom, Tomas Grejtak, Andrew B. Kustas, Brandon A. Krick

Published in: Tribology Letters | Issue 1/2023

Abstract

For the first time, we demonstrate that PTFE filled with iron–cobalt (FeCo) microparticles is an ultralow wear, magnetic, multifunctional tribological material. PTFE filled with 5 wt% of equiatomic, pre-alloyed FeCo powder resulted in steady-state wear rates of 2.8 × 10^–7 mm³/Nm, approaching that of PTFE-filled alumina. Comparable wear rates were not observed for PTFE filled separately with elemental iron (Fe) or cobalt (Co) microparticles. PTFE filled with either Fe or Co microparticles exhibited only incremental improvements in steady-state wear behavior when compared to unfilled PTFE (1 order of magnitude or less improvement). Particle size analysis and morphology indicate that the Fe and Co microparticles are strongly fused agglomerates (5–20 µm) made of smaller primary particles or features, while the FeCo microparticles are large (~ 40 µm), spherical, dense particles. IR spectroscopy shows that PTFE-FeCo composites form more tribochemical species than elemental Fe- or Co-filled composites, leading to the observed improvements in wear rate. The FeCo particles are surprisingly large as a filler for ultralow wear PTFE. From these results, we conclude that the fully dense, metallic, microscale, and intrinsically brittle FeCo particles may be friable and break down during sliding to reinforce and promote stable tribofilms, akin to the previously reported alumina particles in ultralow wear PTFE-alumina composites.

previous article Application of Tribological Artificial Neural Networks in Machine Elements

next article Analytical Theory of Ice-Skating Friction with Flat Contact

Renfrew, M.M., Lewis, E.E.: Polytetrafluoroethylene Heat resistant, chemically inert plastic. Ind. Eng. Chem. 38(9), 870–877 (1946). https://doi.org/10.1021/IE50441A009 CrossRef

Bunn, C.W., Cobbold, A.J., Palmer, R.P.: The fine structure of polytetrafluoroethylene. J. Polym. Sci. 28(117), 365–376 (1958). https://doi.org/10.1002/pol.1958.1202811712 CrossRef

Bunn, C.W., Howells, E.R.: Structures of molecules and crystals of fluoro-carbons. Nature 174(4429), 549–551 (1954). https://doi.org/10.1038/174549a0 CrossRef

Shooter, K.V., Tabor, D.: The frictional properties of plastics. Proc. Phys. Soc. Sect. B 65(9), 661 (1952). https://doi.org/10.1088/0370-1301/65/9/302 CrossRef

Puts, G.J., Crouse, P., Ameduri, B.M.: Polytetrafluoroethylene: synthesis and characterization of the original extreme polymer. Chem. Rev. (2019). https://doi.org/10.1021/ACS.CHEMREV.8B00458 CrossRef

Bahadur, S., Tabor, D.: The wear of filled polytetrafluoroethylene. Wear 98(1), 1–13 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1016/0043-1648(84)90213-8 CrossRef

Biswas, S.K., Vijayan, K.: Friction and wear of PTFE—a review. Wear 158(1–2), 193–211 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1016/0043-1648(92)90039-B CrossRef

Makinson, K.R., Tabor, D.: Friction and transfer of polytetrafluoroethylene. Nature 201(1), 464–466 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1038/201464a0 CrossRef

Tanaka, K., Uchiyama, Y., Toyooka, S.: The mechanism of wear of polytetrafluoroethylene. Wear 23(2), 153–172 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1016/0043-1648(73)90081-1 CrossRef

10.

Blanchet, T.A., Kennedy, F.E.: Sliding wear mechanism of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and PTFE composites. Wear 153(1), 229–243 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1016/0043-1648(92)90271-9 CrossRef

11.

Tanaka, K.: Effects of various fillers on the friction and wear of PTFE-based composites. Compos. Mater. Ser. 1(C), 137–174 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-42524-9.50009-0 CrossRef

12.

Burris, D.L., Sawyer, W.G.: Improved wear resistance in alumina-PTFE nanocomposites with irregular shaped nanoparticles. Wear 260, 915–918 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wear.2005.06.009 CrossRef

13.

Krick, B.A., Ewin, J.J., Blackman, G.S., Junk, C.P., Gregory Sawyer, W., Sawyer, W.G.: Environmental dependence of ultra-low wear behavior of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and alumina composites suggests tribochemical mechanisms. Tribiol. Int. 51, 42–46 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.triboint.2012.02.015 CrossRef

14.

Krick, B.A., Ewin, J.J., McCumiskey, E.J.: Tribofilm formation and run-in behavior in ultra-low-wearing polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and alumina nanocomposites. Tribol. Trans. 57(6), 1058–1065 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1080/10402004.2014.933934 CrossRef

15.

Krick, B.A., et al.: Ultralow wear fluoropolymer composites: nanoscale functionality from microscale fillers. Tribol. Int. 95, 245–255 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1016/J.TRIBOINT.2015.10.002 CrossRef

16.

Burris, D.L., Boesl, B., Bourne, G.R., Sawyer, W.G.: Polymeric nanocomposites for tribological applications. Macromol. Mater. Eng. 292(4), 387–402 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1002/mame.200600416 CrossRef

17.

Van Meter, K.E., Junk, C.P., Campbell, K.L., Babuska, T.F., Krick, B.A.: Ultralow wear self-mated PTFE composites. Macromolecules (2022). https://doi.org/10.1021/ACS.MACROMOL.1C02581 CrossRef

18.

Pitenis, A.A., Ewin, J.J., Harris, K.L., Sawyer, W.G., Krick, B.A.: In vacuo tribological behavior of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and alumina nanocomposites: the importance of water for ultralow wear. Tribol. Lett. 53(1), 189–197 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/S11249-013-0256-1 CrossRef

19.

Harris, K.L., et al.: PTFE tribology and the role of mechanochemistry in the development of protective surface films. ACS Macromol. (2015). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.5b00452 CrossRef

20.

Khare, H.S., et al.: Interrelated effects of temperature and environment on wear and tribochemistry of an ultralow wear PTFE composite. J. Phys. Chem. C 119(29), 16518–16527 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1021/ACS.JPCC.5B00947 CrossRef

21.

Burris, D.L., Sawyer, W.G.: Tribological behavior of PEEK components with compositionally graded PEEK/PTFE surfaces. Wear 262(1–2), 220–224 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1016/J.WEAR.2006.03.045 CrossRef

22.

Burris, D.L., et al.: A route to wear resistant PTFE via trace loadings of functionalized nanofillers. Wear 267, 653–660 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wear.2008.12.116 CrossRef

23.

Burris, D.L., Sawyer, W.G.: A low friction and ultra low wear rate PEEK/PTFE composite. Wear 261(3–4), 410–418 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wear.2005.12.016 CrossRef

24.

Campbell, K.L., et al.: Ultralow Wear PTFE-based polymer composites—the role of water and tribochemistry. Macromolecules 52(14), 5268–5277 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.9b00316 CrossRef

25.

Pitenis, A.A., et al.: Ultralow wear PTFE and alumina composites: it is all about tribochemistry. Tribol. Lett. (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-014-0445-6 CrossRef

26.

Alam, K.I., Baratz, A., Burris, D.: Leveraging trace nanofillers to engineer ultra-low wear polymer surfaces. Wear 482–483, 203965 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/J.WEAR.2021.203965 CrossRef

27.

Bhargava, S., Blanchet, T.A.: Unusually effective nanofiller a contradiction of microfiller-specific mechanisms of PTFE composite wear resistance? J. Tribol. (2016). https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4032818/377872 CrossRef

28.

McElwain, S.E., Blanchet, T.A., Schadler, L.S., Sawyer, W.G.: Effect of particle size on the wear resistance of alumina-filled PTFE micro- and nanocomposites. Tribol. Trans. 51(3), 247–253 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1080/10402000701730494 CrossRef

29.

Ullah, S., Haque, F.M., Sidebottom, M.A.: Maintaining low friction coefficient and ultralow wear in metal-filled PTFE composites. Wear 498–499, 204338 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/J.WEAR.2022.204338 CrossRef

30.

Tabor, D.D.: Friction, lubrication, and wear. In: Rothbart, H., Brown, T. (eds.) Mechanical Design Handbook, 2nd edn. McGraw-Hill, New York (2006)

31.

Totten, G.E., et al.: ASM Handbook, Vol. 18: Friction, Lubrication, and Wear Technology. ASM International, Materials Park (2017)

32.

Aldousiri, B., Shalwan, A., Chin, C.W.: A review on tribological behaviour of polymeric composites and future reinforcements. Adv. Mater. Sci. Eng. (2013). https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/645923 CrossRef

33.

Valente, C.A.G.S., Boutin, F.F., Rocha, L.P.C., do Vale, J.L., da Silva, C.H.: Effect of graphite and bronze fillers on PTFE tribological behavior: a commercial materials evaluation. Tribol. Trans. 63(2), 356–370 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1080/10402004.2019.1695032 CrossRef

34.

Trabelsi, M., Kharrat, M., Dammak, M.: On the friction and wear behaviors of PTFE based composites filled with MoS2 and/or bronze particles. Trans. Indian Inst. Met. 69(5), 1119–1128 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12666-015-0666-x CrossRef

35.

Khan, M.J., Wani, M.F., Gupta, R.: Tribological properties of bronze filled PTFE under dry sliding conditions and aqueous environments (distilled water and sea water). Int. J. Surf. Sci. Eng. 12(5–6), 348–364 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1504/IJSURFSE.2018.096742 CrossRef

36.

Wang, Y., Yan, F.: A study on tribological behaviour of transfer films of PTFE/bronze composites. Wear 262(7–8), 876–882 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wear.2006.08.026 CrossRef

37.

Unal, H., Kurtulus, E., Mimaroglu, A., Aydin, M.: Tribological performance of PTFE bronze filled composites under wide range of application conditions. J. Reinforced Plastics Compos. (2010). https://doi.org/10.1177/0731684409345617 CrossRef

38.

Sundar, R.S., Deevi, S.C.: Soft magnetic FeCo alloys: alloy development, processing, and properties. Int. Mater. Rev. 50(3), 157–192 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1179/174328005X14339 CrossRef

39.

Sourmail, T.: Near equiatomic FeCo alloys: constitution, mechanical and magnetic properties. Prog. Mater. Sci. 7, 816–880 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmatsci.2005.04.001 CrossRef

40.

Kustas, A.B., et al.: Characterization of the Fe–Co–1.5V soft ferromagnetic alloy processed by Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS). Addit. Manuf. 21(1), 41–52 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ADDMA.2018.02.006 CrossRef

41.

Kawahara, K.: Effect of additive elements on cold workability in FeCo alloys. J. Mater. Sci. 18(6), 1709–1718 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00542066 CrossRef

42.

Schmitz, T.L., Action, J.E., Burris, D.L., Ziegert, J.C., Sawyer, W.G.: Wear-rate uncertainty analysis. J. Tribol. 126(4), 802–808 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1792675 CrossRef

43.

Schmitz, T.L., Action, J.E., Ziegert, J.C., Sawyer, W.G.: The difficulty of measuring low friction: uncertainty analysis for friction coefficient measurements. Trans. ASME (2005). https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1843853 CrossRef

44.

Burris, D.L., Sawyer, W.G.: Addressing practical challenges of low friction coefficient measurements. Tribol. Lett. 35(1), 17–23 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-009-9438-2 CrossRef

45.

Lauer, J.L., Bunting, B.G., Jones, W.R., Jr.: Investigation of frictional transfer films of PTFE by infrared emission spectroscopy and phase-locked ellipsometry. Tribol. Trans. 31(2), 282–288 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1080/10402008808981824 CrossRef

46.

Vanni, H., Rabolt, J.F.: Fourier transform infrared investigation of the effects of irradiation on the 19 and 30°C phase transitions in polytetrafluoroethylene. J. Polym. Sci. Polym. Phys. Ed. 18(3), 587–596 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1002/POL.1980.180180317 CrossRef

47.

Liang, C.Y., Krimm, S.: Infrared spectra of high polymers. III. Polytetrafluoroethylene and polychlorotrifluoroethylene. J. Chem. Phys. 25(3), 563 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1742964 CrossRef

48.

Przedlacki, M., Kajdas, C.: Tribochemistry of fluorinated fluids hydroxyl groups on steel and aluminum surfaces. Tribol. Trans. 49(2), 202–214 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1080/05698190500544676 CrossRef

49.

Kajdas, C.K.: Importance of the triboemission process for tribochemical reaction. Tribol. Int. 38(3), 337–353 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1016/J.TRIBOINT.2004.08.017 CrossRef

50.

Haidar, D.R., Alam, K.I., Burris, D.L.: Tribological insensitivity of an ultralow-wear poly(etheretherketone)-polytetrafluoroethylene polymer blend to changes in environmental moisture. J. Phys. Chem. C 122(10), 5518–5524 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.7b12487 CrossRef

51.

Moynihan, R.E.: The molecular structure of perfluorocarbon polymers. Infrared studies on polytetrafluoroethylene1. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 81(5), 1045–1050 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1021/JA01514A009 CrossRef

52.

Krick, B.A.: Exploring the Ultra-Low Wear Behavior of Polytetrafluoroethylene and Alumina Composites. University of Florida, Gainesville (2012)

53.

Alam, K.I., Burris, D.L.: Ultralow wear poly(tetrafluoroethylene): a virtuous cycle of wear reduction and tribochemical accumulation. J. Phys. Chem. C 125(35), 19417–19427 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1021/ACS.JPCC.1C03885 CrossRef

54.

Onodera, T., Nakakawaji, T., Adachi, K., Kurihara, K., Kubo, M.: Tribochemical degradation of polytetrafluoroethylene catalyzed by copper and aluminum surfaces. J. Phys. Chem. C 120(20), 10857–10865 (2016) CrossRef

55.

Ye, J., et al.: Interfacial gradient and its role in ultralow wear sliding. J. Phys. Chem. (2020). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.9b12036 CrossRef

56.

Bahadur, S.: The development of transfer layers and their role in polymer tribology. Wear 245(1–2), 92–99 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1016/S0043-1648(00)00469-5 CrossRef

57.

Sawyer, W.G., Freudenberg, K.D., Bhimaraj, P., Schadler, L.S.: A study on the friction and wear behavior of PTFE filled with alumina nanoparticles. Wear 254(5–6), 573–580 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1016/S0043-1648(03)00252-7 CrossRef

58.

Sidebottom, M.A., Babuska, T.F., Ullah, S., Heckman, N., Boyce, B.L., Krick, B.A.: Nanomechanical filler functionality enables ultralow wear polytetrafluoroethylene composites. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces (2022). https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.2c13644 CrossRef

59.

George, E.P., Gubbi, A.N., Baker, I., Robertson, L.: Mechanical properties of soft magnetic FeCo alloys. Mater. Sci. Eng. 329–331, 325–333 (2002) CrossRef

60.

Clegg, D.W., Buckley, R.A.: The disorder → order transformation in iron–cobalt-based alloys. Met. Sci. J. 7(1), 48–54 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1179/030634573790445541 CrossRef

61.

Mullis, A.M., Farrell, L., Cochrane, R.F., Adkins, N.J.: Estimation of cooling rates during close-coupled gas atomization using secondary dendrite arm spacing measurement. Metall. Mater. Trans. B Process Metall. Mater. Process. Sci. 44(4), 992–999 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11663-013-9856-2 CrossRef

Title: Ultralow Wear Behavior of Iron–Cobalt-Filled PTFE Composites
Authors: Kylie E. Van Meter
Tomas F. Babuska
Christopher P. Junk
Kasey L. Campbell
Mark A. Sidebottom
Tomas Grejtak
Andrew B. Kustas
Brandon A. Krick
Publication date: 01-02-2023
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Tribology Letters / Issue 1/2023
Print ISSN: 1023-8883
Electronic ISSN: 1573-2711
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-022-01679-z

Springer Professional

Hint

Swipe to navigate through the articles of this issue

Ultralow Wear Behavior of Iron–Cobalt-Filled PTFE Composites

Abstract

Premium Partners

Springer Professional

Hint

Swipe to navigate through the articles of this issue

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 1/2023

Correction to: Activation Volume in Shear-Driven Chemical Reactions

A Mortar Finite Element Formulation for Large Deformation Lubricated Contact Problems with Smooth Transition Between Mixed, Elasto-Hydrodynamic and Full Hydrodynamic Lubrication

Enhancing the Tribological Performance of MoS Coatings in Humid Environments with the Addition of BiS

On the Elastohydrodynamic Film-Forming Properties of Metalworking Fluids and Oil-in-Water Emulsions

Analytical Theory of Ice-Skating Friction with Flat Contact

Experimental and Finite Element Analysis of Plastic Domain Evolution of Wavy Surfaces During Contact

Premium Partners