Friction and wear mechanisms of PA66/PPS blend reinforced with carbon fiber

The mechanical and tribological properties of carbon fiber (CF) reinforced polyamide 66 (PA66)/polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) blend composite were studied in this article. It was found that CF reinforcement greatly increases the mechanical properties of PA66/PPS blend. The friction coefficient of the sample decreases with the increase of CF content. When CF content is lower (below 30%), the wear resistance is deteriorated by the addition of CF. However, the loading of higher than 30% CF significantly improves the tribological properties of the blend. The lowest friction coefficient (0.31) and the wear volume (1.05 mm3) were obtained with the PA66/PPS blend containing 30% CF. The transfer film and the worn surface formed by sample during sliding were examined by scanning electron microscopy. The observations revealed that the friction coefficient of PA66/PPS/CF composite depends on the formation and development of a transfer film on the counterface. The abrasive wear caused by ruptured CFs (for lower CF content) and the load bearing ability of CFs (for higher CF content) are the major factors affecting the wear volume. In addition, the improvements of mechanical properties, thermal conductivity, and self‐lubrication of bulk CFs are also contributed to the wear behavior of PA66/PPS/CF composite. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007