Abstract
The tribological behaviors of polyetheretherketone reinforced by short glass fibers have been investigated using the ball-on-disc configuration at different applied loads under dry sliding and water lubrication. The effects of water and GF on the wear properties of the hybrid composite have been discussed. It was found that the glass fiber/polyetheretherketone composite showed excellent tribological performance in water lubrication. High wear resistance and low friction coefficient were achieved under a wide range of applied load. The glass fibers bore the main load between the contact surfaces and protected the matrix from further severe abrasion of the counterpart. At the same time, the cooling and boundary lubricating effects of water hindered the melting of glass fiber/polyetheretherketone surface layer which caused a great improvement in the trobological characteristic. Moreover, the transfer between the counterpart materials and the worn surface of the glass fiber/polyetheretherketone was inhibited accounting for the lower specific wear rate under water lubrication. The glass fiber/polyetheretherketone composite was characterized by mild scuffing and fiber protruding under water lubrication, while the plastic deformation and adhesion were significantly abated compared with those under dry sliding.
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