• Schiffer, Jürgen
• Schwarz, Thomas
• Gódor, István
• Major, Zoltin
• Grün, Florian

Abstract

<p>An experimental tribological study was made of the behavior such as load, sliding speed, and temperature of unfilled and filled tribologically stressed thermoplastic polyurethane materials. The principles of elastomer friction using a precise rotary tribometer (TE 92) were examined. The correlation between thermomechanical and tribological properties was clarified. The TPU test specimens were 1 inch discs (ASTM D 3702) and the counterface was a heat treated steel or a ferritic stainless steel. The most significant tribological parameters and limits for stable operation were determined dry and water-lubricated with or without external heating. The discussion topics included introduction; tribometric testing technique and materials tested; tribological materials behavior and their independent variables (tests stable over time; Stribeck tests; steady tests with time delay thermal ramp; water lubricated steady tests); and summary. The elastomer friction consisted of a complex interaction of elastomer friction bodies and their friction surfaces. Unfilled TPU had the typical high coefficient of friction. In contrast to friction, the coefficient of wear was surprisingly low. The temperature of use at dry friction of unfilled materials was limited by the polymer matrix softening temperature. With water lubrication the wear instability probably depended on the site of vaporization of the aqueous boundary film. Fillers capable of lubrication influenced the load bearing capability and the tribological behavior of the rubber elastomer matrix positively. Coarser particle structures can because of their "composite effect" make another contribution to the tribological load bearing capability.</p>

Topics

• surface
• stainless steel
• composite
• thermoplastic
• rubber
• elastomer
• coefficient of friction