Kinetics of friction and wear of polymer composite materials

The kinetics of wear, heating, and relaxation of the friction force of antifriction self-lubricating polymer composite materials with metals are investigated. Heat-resistant polyheteroarylenes are used as a matrix. The fillers are metal and polymer powders, TiO2 whiskers, and strips of oriented polymer fibers. It is established that the temperature and pressure dependences of the heating rate, wear, and relaxation of the friction force are described by the Zhurkov equation. The activation energy of these processes is equal to the activation energy of fracture of the matrix. The activation volume of fracture depends on the nature and shape of the filler particles. It is concluded that the kinetics of wear, heating, and relaxation of the friction force are determined by the probability of occurrence of destructive thermal fluctuations responsible for the breaking of chemical bonds in molecules of the matrix. (c) 2005 Pleiades Publishing, Inc.