Wear simulation of UHMWPE against the different counterface roughness in reciprocating unidirectional sliding motion

Wear simulations of UHMWPE can economically and conveniently predict the performance of wear resistant bushings used for sealing or other reciprocating unidirectional sliding motion. In this study, pin on plate tribological experiments and microscopic analysis was done to obtained the wear profiles, wear volume and wear mechanism of UHMWPE against the counterface with different surface roughness of which Ra range is 0.03 ~ 2 μm. Meanwhile, the 3D wear simulation model of the pin on plate tribological experiments was established to discuss the adaptability of the energy and Archard wear model by analyzing the difference of wear profiles and wear volume between the experiment and simulation. The results indicate that with an increase in the counterface roughness, the wear simulation of UHMWPE estimated by the energy model were more accurate in reciprocating unidirectional sliding motion.