Dual effects of reduced modulus on abrasive wear resistance of polyurethanes

For the widely used elastomers, the relationship between modulus and wear resistance was still unclear, which hindered the development of highly wear-resistant materials. In this work, the effect of reduced modulus on abrasive wear behavior of polyurethanes (PUs) was investigated. It demonstrated that at low load, an increase in reduced modulus led to a deteriorated wear resistance due to significant stress concentration. However, at high load, the increased reduced modulus reduced the contact area, and thus improved wear resistance. This was the first time to reveal the dual effect of reduced modulus on wear resistance of elastomers with the change of loads. These findings would contribute to the development of wear-resistant PUs to meet different working conditions.