Study on tribological properties of PI enhanced PTFE

Abstract

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) exhibits outstanding properties that make it a preferred engineering material, but its practical applications in demanding environments are limited by inherent deficiencies in hardness, creep resistance, and wear performance. This study investigates composite modification strategies through experimental and molecular dynamics simulation approaches, focusing on polyimide (PI) reinforcement in a PTFE matrix containing 5 wt% copper powder and 3 wt% molybdenum disulphide. Under standardised testing conditions (100 N load, 100 rpm rotation speed, and 60 min duration), the composite hardness demonstrated progressive enhancement with increasing PI content. Optimal tribological performance, characterised by minimised friction coefficient and volumetric wear, was achieved at 15 wt% PI incorporation. Comparative analysis revealed consistent trends between experimental measurements and simulation predictions. Through detailed examination of interfacial temperature distribution, atomic concentration profiles along the thickness direction, and radial distribution functions, the reinforcement mechanism was elucidated at the atomic scale, providing fundamental insights into the structure-property relationships of the composite system.