Effect of Size of Carbon Fiber on the Wear of PTFE Composites and Aluminum Alloy Counter Face

Abstract

PTFE was reinforced with PAN-based, Pitch-based (carbonized and graphitized) carbon fibers and vapor-grown carbon fibers and their tribological properties were examined. Aluminum alloy was used as the counter face material. The wear rate of PTFE was only reduced by the vapor-grown carbon fiber and the composite filled with the vapor-grown carbon fiber caused minimum wear amount of the aluminum alloy counter face. Aluminum alloy was easily abraded by the carbon fibers other than vapor-grown carbon fibers, and then the abraded rough surface promoted the wear of PTFE composites. There was a correlation between the abrasiveness of carbon fiber and the cylindrical surface area of carbon fiber.