Fabrication of Polyimide-Modified UHMWPE Composites and Enhancement Effect on Tribological Properties

Abstract

ABSTRACT Polyimide-modified ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) composites were fabricated by hot-press molding process. Mesoscopic morphologies of polyimide/UHMWPE blending systems show high compatibility between the phases of polyimide and UHMWPE when the weight ratio of polyimide is no more than 50 wt%. Investigation of the tribological properties with a reciprocating ball-on-flat contact tribometer shows that the polyimide filler has important effects on the friction and wear behavior of UHMWPE composites. Compared to pure UHMWPE, the composite with 50 wt% polyimide improved tribological properties best and exhibited 43.1% reduction in friction coefficient and 66.7% reduction in wear volume loss. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT