Volume : 5, Issue : 10, October - 2016

Analysis of Tribological Properties of PTFE and its Composites for Sliding Bearing Applications

Prashant Vishwas Parab, Prof. V. L. Firke

Abstract :

<p>&nbsp;The use of polymers and its composites specially the Polytetrafluroethylene or Teflon is increasing in engineering applications in tribology over the conventional tribological materials. The PTFE is self-luicating material and exhibit lower coefficient of friction but high wear rate. The wear resistivity of pure PTFE can be considerably improved by addition of suitable fillers in appropriate form with it. In present work we studied and analyzed the friction and wear performance of Pure PTFE and its composites as PTFE+25%Carbon,PTFE+15% Graphite,PTFE+40% Bronze, PTFE+60% Bronze and PTFE+55% Bronze+5% MoS2.The friction and wear test is performed on Pin-On-Disc machine at ambient dry conditions. The tests are carried out at sliding velocities 0.96m/s, 1.98m/s and 3.01m/s with loads as 39.24N, 58.86N and 78.48N.We studied the effect of variation in loads, variation in sliding velocities and variation in sliding distances on tribological properties of selected materials. The results shows that the coefficient of friction values are decreasing as load increases for all specimens. Addition of reinforcing elements significantly enhances the wear resistivity of pure PTFE. The wear rate of pure PTFE is higher than other composites which in the order of 10-3 and 10-4 mm3 /N-m. The wear rate of composites are in order of 105 mm3 /N-m.The maximum wear resistance is exhibited by PTFE+60% Bronze.The wear rate is less sensetive for change in sliding velocities but it is more sensitive to change in load.</p>