Abstract High performance polymeric materials such as poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK) are increasingly being used for challenging tribological applications in order to replace metal parts in vehicle engines and transmissions. The tribology of natural PEEK, under oil-lubricated conditions, was studied for different metal counterbody finishes. Two different finishing processes were selected for this study: turning and polishing. The test system used was a tri-pin on disc, with pins made of PEEK and counterbodies made of steel, and then dipped in ATF Dexron VI oil. The conclusion was that the wear rate generated by turning was about seven times as high as the wear rate generated by polishing. The friction coefficient displayed a direct correlation with the lubrication regime, and the level of counterbody roughness. On average, the friction coefficient on the hydrodynamic regime for polishing was more than 3 times lower than the friction coefficient in the boundary regime for turning.

Abstract The tribological properties of poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK) containing 30% of carbon fiber were studied in an oil-lubricated environment and different surface finishing of the metallic counterbody. Four different finishing processes, commonly used in the automotive industry, were chosen for this study: turning, grinding, honing and polishing. The test system used was tri-pin on disc with pins made of PEEK and counterbody made of steel; they were fully immersed in ATF Dexron VI oil. Some test parameters were held constant, such as the apparent pressure of 2 MPa, linear velocity of 2 m/s, oil temperature at 85 °C, and the time - 120 minutes. The lubrication regime for the apparent pressure of 1 MPa to 7 MPa range was also studied at different sliding speeds. A direct correlation was found between the wear rate, friction coefficient and the lubrication regime, wherein wear under hydrodynamic lubrication was, on average, approximately 5 times lower, and the friction coefficient 3 times lower than under boundary lubrication.

O presente trabalho tem como objectivo estudar o efeito do acabamento superficial e do tipo de contra-corpo na taxa de desgaste do polioximetileno copolímero (POM), resultante do contacto deslizante contra corpos rígidos. Para tanto, foram realizados ensaios de desgaste em um tribômetro do tipo pino-contra-disco, com pinos de material polimérico e discos confeccionados em alumina (Al2O3) e em aço inoxidável duplex (austenítico-ferrítico). Nos ensaios de desgaste, utilizou-se 3 valores de carga, 3 velocidades de deslizamento e 2 níveis de acabamento superficial do contra-corpo. Para cada condição de ensaio, foram realizados 3 experimentos. Durante os ensaios, foram monitoradas a temperatura próxima à interface de contacto dos materiais, a força de atrito e a altura do pino. A variação da altura do pino, medida com um sensor linear de posição (LVDT) foi utilizada para a determinação da taxa de desgaste do polímero. A distância percorrida pelos pinos sobre o disco foi de 3.500 metros. Os ensaios foram realizados em ambiente com humidade relativa controlada em 50 ± 5 %. Durante a realização dos ensaios tribológicos, o pino de POM, um termoplástico, esteve submetido a esforços cisalhantes e, principalmente, compressivos por períodos de 1 a 10 horas. No entanto, verificou-se que os esforços compressivos não foram suficientes para alterar a altura do pino por fluência. Os resultados de taxa de desgaste mostraram que a capacidade de dissipar o calor gerado durante o movimento relativo dos pares ensaiados é uma das características mais importantes do contra-corpo, ou seja, o desgaste do POM deslizando contra alumina foi, para os dois níveis de acabamento superficial, mais elevado que nos ensaios contra aço inoxidável.

The aim of this work is to study the effect of the roughness and the type of counter-face in the wear rate of the polyoximethylene copolymer (POM), resultant of the sliding contact against rigid bodies. For this, was realized wear tests in a pin-on-disk tribometer, with polymeric pins and disks confectioned in alumina (Al2O3) and duplex stainless steel (austenitic-ferritic). In the wear tests, were used 3 values of applied load, 3 sliding velocities and 2 levels of surface finishing of the counter-face. For each test condition, 3 experiments were realized. During the tests, the temperature near to the contact of the materials, the friction force and the height of the pin had been monitored. The variation of the pin height, measured with a linear sensor of position (LVDT) was used for the determination of the wear rate of polymer. The tests had been carried through in environment with controlled relative humidity in 50 ± 5 % and the sliding distance were of 3.500 meters During the tribologic tests, the POM pin, a thermoplastic material, were submitted shears and, mainly, compressive efforts for periods of 1 at 10 hours. However, it was verified that the compressive efforts had not been enough to modify the height of the pin for fluency. The results of wear rate had shown that the capacity to dissipate the heat generated during the tests is one of the characteristics most important of the counter-face, or either, the wear of the POM sliding against alumina was, for the two levels of roughness, more raised than in the tests against stainless steel.

Depth sensing indentation is a powerful experimental technique for determining mechanical properties of materials. In this work a computational routine was developed based on Oliver-Pharr method for measuring a more precise values of elastic modulus using a Fischerscope H100 depth sensing indentation apparatus, with a Vickers indenter. This computational routine aims also to measure Vickers hardness, as the equipment does not have software for this purpose. From indentation data it was possible to determine initial unloading stiffness, contact depth, projected contact area, reduced modulus, elastic modulus and Vickers hardness of materials. The validity of the routine was verified analyzing two coatings and nine bulk specimens with different elastic-plastic behaviors. It was verified that the elastic moduli determined through the software of the equipment resulted in great discrepancies when low loads were applied. A good estimate of the elastic moduli of the tested materials is given by the developed routine. For several testing loads, the diagonals determined by means of analytical procedure were compared with the same diagonals measured by image analysis. A good estimate of the Vickers hardness of the above-mentioned materials is given by the developed routine using different testing loads.