Tribological Properties of Polyoxymethylene Composites Against Aluminum

Tribological properties of several kinds of polyoxymethylene (POM) composites were evaluated for the purpose of developing a polymeric tribomaterial especially suited for mating with aluminum parts having low surface hardness. POM composites containing small amounts of silicon carbide (SiC), POM/SiC; those containing a small amount of calcium octacosanonoate besides SiC, POM/SiC/Ca-OCA; and the one blended with 24 wt % of polytetrafluoroethylene, POM/PTFE(24); were injection-molded into pin specimens and their tribological properties were tested by means of a pin-on-disk type wear apparatus using an aluminum (A5056) mating disk in comparison with a 303 stainless steel (SUS303) disk. Evaluation was focused on observation of the sliding surfaces of the pin specimens and the mating disks by a scanning electron microscope and an optical microscope together with the measurement of surface roughness. In the case of mating against a SUS303 disk having high surface hardness, all pin specimens did not roughen the disk surfaces even after long time of rubbing. Only POM/PTFE(24) composite obviously made a transfer film on the disk surface, while the other composites made an extremely thin one on it. POM/SiC(0.1)/Ca-OCA(1) composite, containing SiC 0.1 wt. % and Ca-OCA 1 wt. %, was found to show the lowest coefficient of friction and the lowest wear rate forming extremely thin transfer film on the mating disk. On the other hand, against an A5056 disk which has lower surface hardness than that of SUS303 disk, unfilled POM and POM composites except POM/SiC(0.1)/Ca-OCA(1) composite roughened the disk surfaces. However, the sliding surface of the A5056 disk rubbed with POM/SiC(0.1)/Ca-OCA(1) composite was significantly smoother and that of the pin specimen was also quite smooth in comparison with other pin specimens. Further, when each POM composite was rubbed against the A5056 disk, formation of transfer film was not obvious on the disk surfaces. For POM/SiC(0.1)/Ca-OCA(1) composite, the wear rate was the lowest of all POM composites, and the coefficient of friction was as low level as 60 percent of that of unfilled POM, but slightly higher than that of POM/PTFE(24) composite. For POM/SiC(0.1)/Ca-OCA(1) composite, the nucleating effect of SiC and Ca-OCA, which accelerated the crystallization of POM during its injection molding to form a matrix containing fine spherulites, must have resulted in increasing the toughness of the matrix and lowering the wear rate. Also, the lubricant effect of Ca-OCA should have lowered the coefficient of friction of the same matrix for rubbing against aluminum mating disk. POM/SiC(0.1)/Ca-OCA(1) composite was concluded as an excellent tribomaterial for mating with aluminum parts.