AN ANALYSIS OF THE WEAR OF POLYMERS

This paper describes an experimental programme used to evaluate the wear characteristics of a number of commercially available polymers when sliding against a steel counterface. A vertical pin-on-disc machine and a horizontal pin-on-disc machine were employed, using discs made from heat-treated, stress-relieved 4140 and AISI 1018 steels. All the tests were conducted at ambient temperature and humidity. The results showed that there is no relationship between wear and friction. The results also showed that the counterface roughness affected the wear behaviour of the polymers tested and that this should be considered in any model being developed for the wear of polymers.