Evolution and Wear of Fluoropolymer Transfer Films

• Published in: Tribology letters 2015-01, Vol.57 (1), p.1-8, Article 9
• Main Authors: Urueña, Juan Manuel, Pitenis, Angela A., Harris, Kathryn L., Sawyer, W. Gregory
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alumina; Alumina particles; Aluminum oxide; Chemistry and Materials Science; Coefficient of friction; Corrosion and Coatings; Fluoropolymers; Friction; Interfaces (materials); Low friction coefficients; Materials Science; Morphology; Nanotechnology; Orders of magnitude; Original Paper; Physical Chemistry; Polytetrafluoroethylene; Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE); Polytetrafluoroethylenes; Protective coatings; Protective layers; Shear; Sliding; Sliding distances; Solid lubricants; Surfaces and Interfaces; Theoretical and Applied Mechanics; Thin Films; Transfer film; Tribology; Wear; Wear and friction; Wear of materials; Wear rate
• ISSN: 1023-8883; 1573-2711; 1573-2711
• DOI: 10.1007/s11249-014-0453-6

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a solid lubricant known for its low friction coefficient and high wear rate. When filled with a low volume percent of alumina particles (5 wt%), its wear rate is decreased over four orders of magnitude. The development of a thin, uniform and well adhered transfer film during sliding is partially responsible for this decrease in wear rate by creating a low shear interface and forming a protective layer between the PTFE/alumina sample and metal countersample. In this work, a “striped” transfer film was generated by sliding up to one million reversals over a gradually decreasing stroke length. Wear and friction experiments were performed on a microtribometer to determine the robustness of the transfer film. Interferometry and profilometry were used to measure the height and wear of the film. Microscopy was used to investigate the morphology of the transfer film over sliding distance.