Enhancing interfacial adhesion and tribological properties of PTFE/Nomex fabric composite via oxygen plasma modification

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of oxygen plasma treatment on the interfacial adhesion, tribological properties and wear resistance mechanism of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)/Nomex fiber composite (PNFC) for application as the self-lubricating pad (PNFC-SLP) under various test conditions. Design/methodology/approach The effects of oxygen plasma treatment on the interfacial bonding strength between fibers/fabric and resin and tribological properties of PNFC-SLP were evaluated through single fiber pull-out, peel and reciprocating sliding tests. The wear resistance mechanism was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Findings The friction coefficient and wear volume of modified PNFC-SLP were lower than those of neat PNFC-SLP under various test conditions, indicating that oxygen plasma treatment improved tribological performance. Furthermore, the enhanced wear resistance of the PNFC-SLP can be attributed to improved interfacial adhesion, resulting from the rougher surface and hydrophilic groups introduced onto the PTFE fiber surface by plasma modification. The improved interfacial adhesion between fabric and resin reduced abrasive wear and promoted the formation of a PTFE lubrication film. Originality/value Plasma modification positively affected PTFE fiber, but had little effect on Nomex fiber. The enhanced interfacial adhesion and tribological properties of plasma-modified PNFC-SLP depended on the PTFE fiber’s physical morphology and chemical groups. In addition, this work provides a promising strategy for preparing PNFC-SLP with enhanced bonding strength and tribological properties. Peer review The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-03-2025-0095/