An investigation of the friction and wear behaviors of ceramic particle filled polyphenylene sulfide composites

The composites of polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) filled with 1-3 mu m size ceramic particles of Al2O3, SiC, Si3N4, and Cr3C2 were prepared by compression molding. The hardness and the friction and wear behaviors of these composites were studied. For the later a pin-on-disc Friction and wear tester was used and sliding was performed between 5 mm X 6 mm pins and AISI 02 tool steel counterface at a speed of 1.0 m s(-1) and a normal load of 19.6 N. The worn composite pin surfaces and the transfer films formed on the counterface were examined by scanning electron microscopy. An X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS) was used to characterize the chemical states of the elements in the transfer film for the possible tribochemical changes which occurred during sliding, It was found that SiC, Si3N4, and Cr3C2 as the fillers increased the wear resistance of PPS considerably while Al2O3 decreased it. The fillers promoted the decomposition of PPS and generated compounds which accounted for the changes in wear resistance of the composite. The fillers also caused abrasion and thereby disrupted the transfer film in some cases. XPS and SEM observations have been used to develop understanding for the changes in wear resistance of the composites with the use of fillers. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.