Mechanical and tribological properties of solid lubricant composites based on thermoplastic polyimide loaded with PTFE and surface modified carbon fibers

Abstract

The mechanical and tribological properties of thermoplastic polyimide based composites loaded with polytetrafl uoroethylene and milled carbon fibers, annealed and functionalized with a KH550 silane-coupling agent were studied. It has been revealed that, compared with neat PI, the composite with annealed carbon fibers and PTFE particles possessed the highest wear resistance. Reinforcing carbon fibers of hundreds micron size increase the elastic modulus by 2 times; while all other physical and mechanical properties remain at the level of unfilled PI.