Title: Impact of surface roughness and contact pressure on wear behaviour of PEEK, POM, and PE-UHMW

Authors: Marcela Petrica; Bernadette Duscher; Thomas Koch; Vasiliki-Maria Archodoulaki

Addresses: Institute of Materials Science and Technology, TU Wien, A-1040 Vienna, Austria ' Institute of Materials Science and Technology, TU Wien, A-1040 Vienna, Austria ' Institute of Materials Science and Technology, TU Wien, A-1040 Vienna, Austria ' Institute of Materials Science and Technology, TU Wien, A-1040 Vienna, Austria

Abstract: Three thermoplastics - PEEK, POM, and PE-UHMW - were investigated in order to highlight the influence of surface roughness, wear regime, and contact pressure on their wear performance and to understand the role each parameter plays in the development of the wear mechanisms. The surface roughness (Ra) was modified in order to reach a high roughness value and a low roughness value. The change in contact pressures was achieved by conducting measurements at the same applied load (30 N) and at the same exerted pressure (62 MPa). The wear regime was varied by increasing the number of testing cycles. The frictional behaviour of PEEK shows a threestage development which is strongly influenced by the increase of roughness and wear regime, whereas in case of PE-UHMW and POM the frictional behaviour does not seem to be affected by these parameters. A strong correlation was observed between material's mechanical properties, wear mechanisms and frictional behaviour.

Keywords: tribology; coefficient of friction; COF; polyetheretherketone; PEEK; polyethylene ultra-high molecular weight; PE-UHMW; surface roughness; polyoxymethylene; POM; contact pressure; wear behaviour; thermoplastics; surface quality; mechanical properties; wear mechanisms; friction behaviour.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSURFSE.2017.082955

International Journal of Surface Science and Engineering, 2017 Vol.11 No.1, pp.65 - 84

Received: 29 Mar 2016
Accepted: 10 May 2016
Published online: 16 Mar 2017 *

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