Abrasive wear behavior of particle reinforced ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene composites

This paper, based on orthogonal experimental design method, reports the results of abrasive wear investigations of various composites of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) reinforced with quartz powder rubbed against abrasive papers under dry conditions. The main purpose was to study the influence of such parameters such as filler particle size, load, sliding speed and abrading particle size on the abrasive wear performance of UHMWPE matrix composites. Statistical analysis was carried out to develop an equation in which the wear volume of the specimen was expressed in terms of load, abrading particle size, sliding speed, and their interactions. It was observed that wear rate was lower for reinforced composites than for the unfilled polymer. Load is the most important factor in the wear of unfilled UHMWPE specimens. However, for the wear of filler reinforced UHMWPE composites, the role of the load abates and the role of abrasive particle size increases with the increase in filler particle size. The main controlling parameter shifted from load to abrasive particle size when the filler size shifted from 0.18 to 0.35 mm in composites. Sliding speed seems to have little effect on the total wear volume. Worn surfaces were studied using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to give an insight into the wear mechanisms. The results show that the hardness and plowing resistance increased with the addition of hard powder, which leads to an enhancement of abrasive resistance. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.