Effect of polymer composition on mechanical and tribotechnical properties in a friction pair with steel

\nThe article presents the results of kinetic indentation and wear tests of polymer samples from ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), high molecular weight polyethylene (HMWPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyoxymethylene (POM). The determination of the micromechanical properties of polymers was carried out on the Nanoscan-4D device. diamond triangular Berkovich pyramid with a maximum loading force of 10 mN. The values of microhardness HV, modulus of elasticity E, work on elastic deformation We, work on plastic deformation Wp were obtained. Wear tests were performed on a friction machine with a vertical axis of rotation according to the scheme: “three steel balls rigidly fixed in a mandrel (steel ShКh15) - the wide side of a rectangular polymer sample” without the use of lubricant at normal temperature. Patterns of changes in the depth of wear holes were established depending on the composition of the polymer. PET samples had minimal wear and had maximum wear resistance, followed by POM, UHMWPE and HMWPE samples in descending order of wear resistance. The microhardness values of the samples were determined, and its minimum values were obtained for UHMWPE, and the microhardness of PET, HMWPE and POM samples was 4.47, 1.45 and 1.18 times higher than that of UHMWPE, respectively. The work of elastic–plastic deformation had maximum values on UHMWPE samples, and minimum values on PET samples.\n