Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a special engineering plastic with excellent physical and chemical properties. PTFE has a wide range of operating temperatures and can be used continuously for long periods between 180 and 250°C. It has a low friction coefficient of only 0.04, is non-absorbent, and is non-flammable. However, the non-polarity of the PTFE molecular chain leads to poor mechanical properties. By utilizing the excellent friction and high-temperature performance of PTFE, blending it with other engineering plastics with higher mechanical strength can comprehensively improve the mechanical properties, achieving advantageous complementarity and producing high-performance engineering plastic friction materials, thereby expanding the application scope of engineering plastics.
To work long term as wear resistant component, commonly used engineering plastics blended with PTFE including below materials:
1.Polyoxymethylene (POM)
POM is a highly crystalline linear thermoplastic polymer with unique mechanical properties, excellent oil resistance, chemical resistance, creep resistance, and good thermal and electrical properties. It has low water absorption and can maintain its mechanical, chemical, and electrical properties over a wide temperature range, making it an engineering plastic with excellent comprehensive performance. Modifying POM with PTFE can improve its poor toughness and low notch impact strength, thereby producing high-performance friction materials.
2.Polyetheretherketone (PEEK)
PEEK has excellent comprehensive performance, good heat resistance with a long-term operating temperature of up to 240°C, and a fiber-reinforced grade up to 300°C. It also has high strength, high rigidity, creep resistance, good fatigue resistance, self-extinguishing, oil resistance, solvent resistance, and other characteristics. Since its introduction in the 1960s, PEEK and its composites have been widely used in industries such as aerospace, electronics, and electrical engineering. Glass fiber (GF)/carbon fiber (CF) hybrid reinforced PEEK/PTFE composite materials are high-performance wear-resistant materials with advantages such as high-temperature resistance and wear resistance, suitable for use as structural components in high-temperature environments.
3.Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS)
PPS was pioneered by Phillips Petroleum Company of the United States in 1968 as a new type of engineering plastic. PPS, known as the "new plastic for the jet age," has outstanding heat stability, good adhesion, electrical insulation, corrosion resistance, and self-extinguishing properties. Its disadvantage is poor impact resistance and difficulty in molding processing. The inert surface of PTFE makes it difficult to bond with PPS. Domestic scholars utilize PPS powder mixed with a blending agent for ball milling, then adding PTFE powder to make coatings. PTFE/PPS alloy coatings solve the problem of high melt flow rate of PPS, making it difficult for direct molding. It can maintain high mechanical properties above 300°C and is mainly used for corrosion-resistant pumps, valves, gaskets, as well as dynamic seals, bushings, automotive engine valve covers, chromatograph sliding seals, and guide components.
4.Polyamide (PA)
1.Adding PTFE to PA mainly improves its lubricity. When the filling amount of PTFE is greater than 10%, the friction and wear resistance of PA are also improved, with a significant reduction in friction coefficient and wear volume.
5.Polyimide (PI)
PI, a polymer with imide groups on the main chain, is a representative of heterocyclic high molecular weight compounds industrialized by Dupont Corporation of the United States. It has outstanding heat resistance, radiation resistance, and wear resistance. Products made by blending thermoplastic polyimide (TPI) with PTFE or adding other fillers can be used for automotive engine hood components, aerospace equipment, and office electronic equipment.
We could provide above material with customized design by molding/machining process.
