TRIBOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF POLYETHERIMIDE COMPOSITE

Polyetherimide (PEI), commercially known as ULTEM and manufactured by GEC (USA), is one of the newest high-performance thermoplastics. Its graphite and short-glass-fibre (GF) filled composition was evaluated for friction and wear properties. Tribological studies of the material sliding against mild steel, under different loads, counterface roughnesses and sliding distances were performed on a pin and disc configuration. It was observed that this composite displayed very good wear resistance due to glass-fibre reinforcement and low friction due to the solid lubricant graphite. The wear mechanism was studied with scanning electron microscopy by observing the worn pin and disc surfaces. Fatigue was observed to be the main factor in wear, along with adhesive and abrasive modes.