Tribological performances of micro/nano-Si 3 N 4 –PTFE–EP composites prepared by high-pressure compression molding

It is of great significance to improve the tribological performances of self-lubricating system to reduce the exfoliation of abrasive particles. In this work, tribological performances of Si₃N₄–PTFE–EP self-lubricating composites with surface-modified micro/nano-Si₃N₄ (20 nm, 100 nm, 500 nm, 1–3 μm, and 10 μm) prepared by high-pressure (3 GPa) compression molding are investigated systematically. The results show that although the surface modification of nano-Si₃N₄ can improve tribological performances of Si₃N₄–PTFE–EP composite, Si₃N₄ particle size is the more critical factor. When Si₃N₄ particle size is 10 μm, the tribological performances of 70M–Si₃N₄–30PTFE–EP, 50M–Si₃N₄–50PTFE–EP, and 30M–Si₃N₄–70PTFE–EP composites are optimal.