Fretting Characterization of Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Polyetheretherketone Composites with Different Fiber Orientations

Failure caused by fretting is the main failure form of orthopedic implants. Two different fiber orientations (0°/90° and 0°/60°) carbon fiber (CF)-reinforced polyetheretherketone (PEEK) composite materials were prepared by the UD laminate method. This study investigates the fretting wear behavior of two different fiber orientations. By changing the normal forces and displacement amplitude, the Ft–D curve, the running condition for the fretting map and the friction coefficient curve are established. Use WLI, SEM and EDS to explore the wear mechanism of CFR-PEEK composite materials. The results show that the two fiber orientations have similar running conditions for the fretting map. And the main wear mechanisms of the two composites are abrasive wear, adhesive wear and oxidative wear. However, the dissipation energy, friction coefficient, wear depth and wear volume of the CFR-PEEK composites with 0°/90° fiber orientation are less than 0°/60° fiber orientation. The CFR-PEEK composites with a fiber orientation of 0°/90° have a better fretting characterization. The experimental results may play a certain guiding role in the field of CFR-PEEK composite medical materials.