WEAR

ELSEVIER Wear 196(1996)164--170

Tribological properties of polytetrafluoroethylene-based composite in

different lubricant media
Zhao-ZhuZhang,Wei-ChangShen,Wei-MinLiu,Qun-JiXue,Tong-ShengLi
L~oratoryofSolid.~brication,Lan~a in~tituteofChemicalPhysics,ChineseAcademyof Sciences,Lanzhou730000,PR China
Received24 July1995;accepted27 November1995

Abslract

A kind of pelytetrafluomethylene(PTFE) based multilayerself-lubricatingcompositematerial,madeof a steel backing,a alnteredporous

bronze middlelayer and a surfacelayer consistingof a mixtureof PTFE and Pb powders,was prepared.The frictionand wear propertiesas
well as the limitingPV (pressuretimesvelocity) valuesof the PTFEcompositeslidingagainststainlesssteel with lubricationof 10* gasoline
engine lubricantoil, glyceroland triethanolaminewere studied.An MPV-1500 frictiontester with a steel axis rotatingon a sliding bearing
was used.The frictioncoefficientwas determinedby measuringthe frictiontorqueduringtesting,whilethe wear was detectedby the weight
loss of the P'I"FEcompositebearingafter each test. The worn surfacesof ~ compositeand the steel counterfacewere then examinedby
usingelectronprobe microanalysis(EPMA). Experimentalresultsshowthat the frictionaM wear propertiesas wellas the limitingPV value
of PTFE composite can be greatly improvedusing the above lubricant media. The limiting PV value of this PTFE composite is above
120 MPa m s", under lubricationof these kinds of lubricantmedia, whichis about I00 times that of pure FIFE in dry frictionconditions.
EPMA investigationsshow that the wear and the transferof FIFE compositeonto the steel cotmterfacewere significantlyreduced,but still
took place.

geywords: PTFE-basedmultilayerself-lubdcalmgcomposite;Oillubrication;Frictionandwear;Ffi~ionalsurfaces;EPMA

I. Introduction 2. Experimental details

In this experiment, an MPVo1500 friction tester with a steel

Polytetrafluorocthylene ( P T ~ ) based self-lubricating axis rotating on a sliding bearing was used as shown in Fig. 1.
composites have been widely used in dry friction conditions, The load was added gradually at various constant sliding
but up to now, veryfe'~resultson the tribologicalcharacter- speeds: the maximum load applied was 14 700 N (1500 kg)
isticsof FIFE-based self-lubricatingcomposites under oil and the maximum speed used was 4 m s- ~. The material of
lubricationhave been reported,though the frictionand wear the steel axis is a 45* carbon steel, and the chemical com-
propertiesof FIFE-based composites in aqueous (water) position is given in Table 1. The diameter of the steel axis
environments have been studiedby many workers [I-5]. It was 35.95 ram, and its length was 42.00 mm. Before each
is known that~ composites wear much more in water test, the surface of the steel axis was polished with number
than in air [6--8].So investigationof the tribologiealprop. 900 grade SiC abrasive paper, washed in acetone and dried
ertiesof ~ compositesunder oillubricationisbecoming
more and more importantand urgent.
In thispaper,thefrictionand wear prol~rtiesas wellas the
limitingPV (pressuretimesvelocity) valuesof a ~ com-
positounder differentlubricantmedia arereported.The worn
surfacesof the FrFE composite and the steelcounterface
were also examined by using EPMA. These studieswere
conductedwith theaim of providingsome practicalguidance
A O P
for the use of thisPTFE compositeunder differentlubricant
Fig. 1. Contactingmodeof the friction pair: A, axis of ¢ad~n steel;B,
media. bering bush(testedsample);P, appliedload; V, speed.
0043-1~8/%1515.00© 1996Elsevie~,%'ienceS,A.All dgMsreserved
SSD10043-1648( 95 ) 06892-9
 Z-Z 72umgeta!. / We¢.r196(1996) 164-170 165

T~le I
Chemical compositionof 45" carbon steel (Wt.%)

C Mn Si Cr P S Ft,

0.420-0.500 0.500-o.g00 0.170-0.370 < 0.250 <0.040 ~g0.040 Remaiader

Table 2
Main propertiesof 10" gasofineengine lubricantoil

Kinematicviscosity ( × 10-4 m~"$- t ) ( I00 °C) Pour point (°C) Flash point (°C)

10-12 < - 15 >209

Table3
The main physical and mechanicalpropertiesof the PTFE composite

Compressives~ength (MPa) Linear expansioncoefficient Thermalconductivitycoeflk'ient Temlx-n~,e scope of th~pltcatioa

(°C-') (W m-~ K-a) {'C)

>280 15.6× 10-6 2.2 -2C0 to +280

in air. The slidingbearings made of the FIVE composite were media were addedto the frictional surface through an oil hole
prepared with a 36.05 mm inside diameter, 39.00 mm outside during testing at arate of 20 drops per minute. The wear was
diameter, 14.00 mm height and 1.45-1.48 mm thickness of detected by the weight loss of the FI'FE composite beating
the bearing wall. The surfaces of the sliding bearings were after each test. The fri~on coefficient was determined by
washed in acetone and dried in air before each test. measuring the friction torque. The friction tO,ClUe was
The lubricant media used in this experiment were glycerol, recorded by atoalee reconkr, sothe frictioncoefficientcoeld
triethanolamine and 10" gasoline engine lubricant oil. The calculated by the formula ~t=M/PR,where/t is the fric-
10' gasoline engine lubricant oil was a mineral oil containing tion coefficient, M is the friction torque, P is the radial load
a small amount of antioxidant additive and a small amount applied, and R is the radius of the steel axis. The limiting PV
of rug inhibitor. Glycerol and triethanolamine were ana- value was evaluated according to GB7948-ST, the national
lytically pure. The main properties of 10" gasoline engine standard of PR O,.i~.
lubricant oil [9] are listed in Table 2. According to this national standard, when the friction
R e FIFE composite prepared in this experiment is a torque increases sharply, or the temperature of the frictional
metal-plastic multilayer self-lubricating composite, which is surface is above 120'C under oil lubdcatioa, the PV value
composed of a steel backing, a sintered porous bronze middle at this moment is considered as the limiting FV value of a
layer and a surface layer consisting of a mixture of PTFE and hearing. The temperature of the frictional surface was meas-
Pb powders. This FIFE composite possesses the beneficial ured by using a thermecoeple. Bec~me the real temperature
properties of the original metal and plastic, such as high
mechanical strength, low thermal expansion coefficient and
friction coefficient, good thermal conductivity,excellent anti-
wear properties etc. The main preparation process of this
PTFE composite is as follows: selecting steel plate -~ plating
copper ~ laying bronze powder -> high temperature sin-
tering --, laying FIFE powder filled by Pb powder ~ roller
compacting ---, sintering --, sample processing. Its structure
is similar to that of DU material (the commercial name of a
PTFE-based multilayer composite invented by the Glacier
Company of the United Kingdom) [ 10-12], and Fig. 2 gives
a micrograph of the profile structure of the prepared PTFE
composite. The main physical and mechanical properties of
this FI'FE composite have ~eady been described and dis-
cussed elsewhere [ 13,14]. Table 3 lists the main physical
and mechanical properties of this FIFE composite.
Friction and wear tests were performed at room tempera- ~g.2. MiaeSal~eftk lae~ ~ ofk vrfe ~ : a, m'ra~
ture with sliding speeds ranging from I to 4 m s- i and with plastic layer;,b, layer of ~ ~ ; c, la~f of 10~tedO0¢la~ d, steel
various loads ranging from 1960 to 14 700 N. The lubricant baking.
166 Z.Z Zhang el al. / Wear196 (1996) 164-170

of the frictional interface was very difficult to measure, in
this experiment the thermoeouple was set to contact the outer
surface (steel backing) of the bearing bush. The measured
temperature was not the real temperature of the frictional
surface, but the bulk ten'lperature of the friction contacting
zone. Because the bearing wall of this PTFE composite
is thin and it has good thermal conductivity, so the meas-
ured temperature can be approximately considered as the
temperature of the frictional surface.
3. Resells and discmsion
3.1. Thefriction property of PTFE composi~e
The friction and wear properties of this FIFE composite
in dry friction conditions have already been studied and dis-
cussed elsewhere [ 14]. Table 4 summarizes the tribological
results of this ~ composite in dry friction conditions. The
variations of the friction coefficients with load for this P'fFE
composite in different lubricant med!a are shown in Fig. 3.
"table 4
Tribologiealresult.cof the PTFEcompositein dry frictionconditions
Speed Maximum load Limiting PV value
(ms -I ) (N) (MPam s-t)
1 4410 8.82
A comparison of the dry friction properties of this PTFE
composite shows that the frictional property of this PTFE
composite can be geatly improved with the above lubricant
media and the friction coefficient can be decreased by two to
three orders of magnitude. Meanwhile the results in Fig. 3
indicate that the friction coefficients of the ~ composite
in different lubricant media decrease with an increase in load
and sliding speed, and the friction properties of the
composite in glycerol and triethanolamine are better than
those of 10" gasoline engine lubricant oil,
When the sliding speed is constant, the variation of friction
coefficient with load for the PTFE composite in different
lubricant media can be described by the formula/~x rlNIP,
where ~ is the friction coefficient, ~/is the viscosity of l,bri-
cant medium, N is the rotation speed of the steel axis, and P
is the load applied on the bearing bush [ 15,16]. At a censtant
sliding speed, the temperature of the frictional surface
increases with increase in load, and the viscosity of lubricant
medium decreases with increase in temperature but increases
with the increase in load. This kind of variation of viscosity
suggests that the effect of viscosity on the friction coefficient
Friction coefficient (F) Wear Temperatut~ of
(ms) friction surface
~ ~ (°C)
0.07 0.13 224.4 246

•.. 6 ~

t.96 S.M 9,W t4.70

(;I) Lo~(xIO~)

Vt
i

!,
4

2 V4 i'" V2
S " V3
2- w

o t • I " ! ' i I I i I ,, ! "w •

1.96 e.R LO0 14.70 1.96 5.88 9.80 14.70

(b) Line Ix~O'~l (c) Load(xtO,~)
Fig, 3. Variations of friction coe~cicnts with load for the PTFB composile in different lubricant media: (a) 10" gasoline engine lubricant oil; (b) glycerol;
(c) triethanolaminc,Vl, V2,V3 and V4 are I ms-~, 2 m s-l,3 ms-~ and4 ms -s respectively.
 Z,-Z7_,hang
e! a[I Wear 196 (1996) 164-I70
is much smaller than that of load, thereforethe formulation
~x~lP can be approximated by p~N/P, so the friction
coefficientdecreaseswith load increase.
When the load is constant, the friction coefficientof the
PTFE composite in different lubricantmedia decreaseswith
increaseof sliding speed. It is believed that, with increaseof
sliding speed, a layer of oil film can be more easily formed
on the frictionalsurface: the lubricationconditionof the fric-
tional surface can be greatly improved,thereforethe friction
coefficientdecreaseswith increaseof stidingspeed.This var-
iationin the behaviorof frictioncoefficientwith slidingspeed
may be explainedby the Stribeckdiagram [ i7].
3.2. The wear property of PTFE composite
Variations of wear with sliding speed for the FIFE com-
posite in different lubricant media are shown in Fig. 4. Com-
pared with the wear of this FIVE composite in dry friction
(see Table 4), it is clear that the wear of the FIVE composite
can be greatly reduced with the above lubricant media and
the wear can be decreasedby one to two ordersof magnitude,
though it increases with the increase of sliding speed. It can
also be seen that the wear of the FIFE composite in 10"
gasolineengine lubricant,oil is lower than that in glyceroland
triethanolamine.10* gasolineengine lubricantoil can be seen
to be the most effective lubricant medium in reducing the
wear of the ~ composite, and triethanolaminethe worst
one. However,more work should be done so as to determine
the anti-wear mechanismsof the above lubricantmedia.
The thickness of the surface plastic layer of the FIFE
compositeis about 0.05 to 0.10 mm. The bronzepowdermay
be exposed as soon as the surface plastic layer is worn off.
Then contact of bronze powder with stainlesssteel may take
place. It has been discoveredthat, with lubricationof glycerol
and triethanolamine,a selective transfer effect occurs in the
friction pair system of bronze-steel [ lg]. When the selective
transfer effect takes place, the friction pair systemexhibits a
very low friction coefficient and zero-wear properties.
8O ¢
4O
.-. 30
r medixa. 10' gasolmesginelebriuatoil;b,glycml;c. tr~mdam~
10
o i i i I
t 2 ~ 4
sad~ spud v(vattl
Fig. 4. Variationsof wear with sliding speedsfor the PTFEcompmitein
differentlubricantmedia:a. 10" gasolineenginelubricantoil, b. glycerol;
c. Ldetlmolamine.
167
It therefore possesses excellent anti-friction and anti-wear
prop~es [ 19-21].
In this experiment, the surface plastic layer of the FIFE
composite is not worn away, and the friction coefficientof
the PTFE compositein glyceroland lriethanolamineis lower
than that of 10" gasoline engine lutgicant oil, though
wear is higher than that of the latter. However,as soon as the
surface plastic layer of the PTFE composite is worn away,
the selective transfer effect may occur for the friction pair
system in glycerol and triethanohmine, but not in 10' gas-
oline engine lubricant oil. Under these conditions, the anti-
frictionand anti-wearpropertiesof the frictionpairsystem
in glyceroland trkthanolaminemay be much betterthan
thosein 10" gasolineenginelubricantoil.
3.3. The limiting PVpropertyof PTFEcomposite
The limitingIN valuesof the FrFE compositein different
lubricantmedia ate shown in Fig. 5. Comparedwith the lim-
iting PV value of the FIFE composite in dry friction condi-
tions (see Table 4), it can be seen that the limitingIN value
of the PTFE compositecan be increasedby at least one order
of magnitudeusing the above lubricant media. The limiting
PV value of the FIFE compositein differentlubricantmedia
is higher than 120 MPa m s-'. Such a limiting IN value is
about IO0 times that of pure PTFE in dry friction conditions
[22].
According to the GB7948-87 national standard of PR
China, the temperatureof frictionalsurface (see Table 5) is
consideredas a key parameterto decide whetherthe limiting
PV value of FIFE composite is reached or not. Combining
the results of Fig. 3, Fig. 5 and Table 5, it is evident that the
limiting PV value of the FIFE composite in glycerol and
HII
I
I b ¢
L~x~M ~
Fig.5. LimitingIN valuesof the FIFEcompesitein diffep,.r,tleveret
Table 5
Temperatereof the ~ sat'faceia d i ~ lubt'k~ media (load,
14 70ON;velocity,4 in s- e)
Lubrkaat modem T ~ (~c)
clyce~
Trktha~lam~ 102
|0' gasolinee~ne lulmcmtoil Ill
168 Z..Z Zhanget al. /Wear 196H996) 164-170

triethanolamine is higher than that in 10' gasoline engine
lubricant oil. Moreover, when the frictional surface of the
FIFE composite is not properJy lubricated by the lubricant
medium, the surface plastic layer of this P T ~ composite
may act as a solid lubricant, and the worst result is that the
surface plastic layer may be worn away. However, for metal
bearings under such conditions, the frictional surfaces or even
the whole bearing may be damaged especially at high sliding
speed and pressure. Therefore, with lubrication using the
above lubricant media, this PTFE composite may be used in
mechanical equipment as a kind of sliding bearing that has a
high limiting PV value.
3.4. EPMA investigations offrictional surfaces
The electron micrograph and X-ray images of Pb and F
elements of the steel counterface in lubrication of 10' gaso-
line engine lubricant oil are shown in Fig. 6. Compared with
those obtained in dry friction conditions [ 14,23], it is found
that the transfer of the FIFE composite onto the steel coun-
terrace can ~ greatly reduced with lubricant media, but trans-
fer of the ~ composite onto the steel counterface still
takes place. Also the amount of Pb in the steel counterface is
much higher than that ofF. So it is deduced that the frictional
sure'aceof the PTFE compositeremains in partial contact with

Fig. 6. X-rayimagesof F and Pb elementsand the electronmibm~: of ~ii~terface in I0" gasolineenginelubricantoil: (a) electronmicmgraph;
(b) X-r~)"ir~,~.geofF; (c) X-rayimageof Pb.

ms-'; (d) u=4 ms-'.

 Z-Z Zhang et aLI Wear 196 (1996) 164-I70
fhe steel countefface, and the Ph filler preferentially transfers
~nto the steel countefface.
Electron micrographs of the worn surfaces of the FIFE
:omposite in 10" gasoline engine lubricant oil are shown in
Fig. 7. Compared with those in dry friction conditions [ 14],
it is evident that the width and depth of the worn traces of the
FIFE composite in a lubricant medium are much smaller
than those in dry friction conditions. It can also be seen from
Fig. 7 that the severity of the wear tra,-.es increases with
increase of sliding speed. So it can be concluded that the wear
of the PTFE composite in lubricant media is much lower than
that in dry friction and the wear increases with the increase
of sliding speed. These results are consistent with the wear
data.
Combining the results of Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, it is shown that
the wear and transfer of the FTFE composite still take place
f v f n In
" ~mefen~
A:¢~ . lubricant media. Also the Pb filler not only
increases the load canting capacity of the PTFE composite,
but preferentially transfers onto the steel counterface. There-
fore, the improvement of tribological properties of the FIFE
composite in lubricant media can be largely attributed to the
action of the Pb filler.
4. Conclusions
1. Using the above lubricant media, the ~ction coefficient
of the FIFE composite can be decreased by two to three
orders of magnitude, and the friction coefficient decreases
with the increase of load and sliding speed.
2. Using certain lubricant media, the wear of ~be PTFE com-
pcsite can he decreased by one to two orders of magnitude,
and the wear increases with an increase of sliding speed.
3. The limiting PV value of the FIFE composite can be
increased at least by one order of magnitude with the
above lubricant media. The limiting PV value is above
120 MPa m s- i about 100 times that of pure FIFE in dry
friction conditions.
4. The friction and limiting PV properties of the FIFE com-
posite in glycerol and triethanolamine are better than those
of 10' gasoline engine lubricant oil, but the anti-wear
properties are worse than those of 10" gasoline en-ir
lubricant oil.
5. The wear and transfer of the FIFE, composite can be
greatly reduced with the above lubricant media, but the
wear and transfer of the FIFE composite still take place.
The Pb filler not only increases the load carrying capacity
of the FIFE composite, but also preferentially transfers
onto the steel counterface.
6. When the surface plastic layer of the FIFE composite is
worn away, a selective transfer effect may occur with the
friction pair in glycerol and triethanolamine, but not in
10" gasoline engine lubricant oil. As soon as the selective
transfer effect is achieved, the friction and wear reducing
properties of the friction pair in glycerol and triethanolam-
ine may be much better than those in 10" gasoline engine
lubricant oil.
169
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Biographies
Zhao-Zhu Zhang, born in 1965, graduated with a B.S. degree
in Solid Physics f~m the Physics Department of Lanzhou
University in 1988. He received his M.S. degree in Physical
Chemistry. from L~q~ou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chi-
nese Academy of Sciences in 1991. Now he is a Ph.D. student.
His current research interests include studies of tribological
properties and their mechanisms, as well as the tribochemistry
and ~bophysics of frictional surfaces and interfaces of pol-
ymer-based self.lubricating composites under dry friction
and oil lubrication conditions.
Wei-Chang Shen, born in 1940, graduated from the Chemical
Engineering Department of Zhejiang University in 1964.
Since then he has worked in Lanzhou Institute of Chemical
Physics, Chinese .Academy of Sciences. Now he is an asso-
ciate professor, and his current interests include studies
of new polymeric self-lubricating composites and their
tribological lxoperties.
170 7.-7. Zlu~;get at. I Wear 196 (1996) 164-170
Wei.-MinLiu graduatedwitha B+S.degreein Chemistryfrom
ShandongNormalUniversityin 1984,and receivedhis M.S.
degree and Ph.D in Tribolo~ at LanzhouInstituteof Chem-
ical Physics in 1987 and 1990 respectively.He joined the
Laboratoryof SolidLubrication,LanzhouInstituteof Chem.
icalPhysics,ChineseAcademyof Sciencein 1990,and from
1993to 1994he silentoneyearatthe Dep~LrlmentofChemical
Engineering, PennsylvaniaState University. His research
interests include lubricantadditiveinteractiens,lubrication
of ceramics,solid lubricationand tribochemistry.
Qun-Ji Xue graduated from the Departmentof Chemistry,
ShandongUniversityof Chinaand receivedhis M.Sc. degree
at Lanzhouinstituteof ChemicalPhysicsin 1967.From 1980
to 1982he workedat the UniversityofMichigan.Since1965,
he has workedin the fieldof [ribologywithspecialempht,~is
on lubricatedmaterials.He is now a professorand head of
the Laboratoryof Solid Lubrication,Lanzhou Institute of
Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, and also
head of the Lubricationand TribochemistryBranch of the
ChineseSocietyof MechanicalEngineers.
Tong-ShengLi, born in 1953,graduatedfromthe Chemistry
Departmentof the ChineseUniversityof Scienceand Tech-
nologyin 1977.Now he is an associateprofessorin Lanzhou
InstituteofChemicalPhysics,ChineseAcademyof Sciences+
He has researchedself-lubricatingcoatingsby resin binders,
and his currentresearch interestsinclude studies of the tfi-
bologicalpropertiesof ceramics,polymersand their blends
and composites.