Effects of carbon fiber surface treatment on the tribological properties of 2D woven carbon fabric/polyimide composites

• Published in: Applied physics. A, Materials science & processing Materials science & processing, 2009-06, Vol.95 (3), p.793-799
• Main Authors: Zhang, Xinrui, Pei, Xianqiang, Jia, Qian, Wang, Qihua
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Bearing steels; Carbon; Carbon fiber reinforced plastics; Carbon fibers; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chromium steels; Condensed Matter Physics; Exact sciences and technology; Fabrics; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Friction; Laminates; Machines; Manufacturing; Nanotechnology; Optical and Electronic Materials; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Polyimide resins; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Processes; Scanning electron microscopy; Surface treatment; Surfaces and Interfaces; Technology of polymers; Thin Films
• ISSN: 0947-8396; 1432-0630
• DOI: 10.1007/s00339-009-5073-x

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon fabric (CF) was modified with strong HNO 3 oxidation and then introduced into polyimide (PI) composites. The friction and wear properties of the carbon fabric reinforced polyimide composites (CFRP), sliding against GCr15 stainless steel rings, were investigated on an M-2000 model ring-on-block test rig under dry sliding. Experimental results revealed that the carbon fiber surface treatment largely reduced the friction and wear of the CFRP. Compared with the untreated ones, the surface-modified CF can enhance the tribological properties of CFRP efficiently due to the improved adhesion between the CF and the PI matrix. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) study of the carbon fiber surface showed that the fiber surface became rougher and the oxygen concentration increased greatly after surface treatment, which improved the adhesion between the fiber and the PI matrix and improved the friction-reduction and anti-wear properties of the CFRP.