Topological Structures Enhanced PEEK Composites Toward Water Superlubricity

ABSTRACT The polymer‐based water‐lubricated bearings broadened the types of material for novel underwater equipment. However, the available polymer‐based water‐lubricated bearing still suffered from short service life and limited loading capacity. It was still essential to develop a high‐performance water‐lubricated bearing material with lower friction and good durability. Here, a new strategy for water‐lubricated bearing material was proposed by polyetheretherketone (PEEK) composite with superlubricity. The addition of whisker carbon nanotubes (WCNTs) resulted in an 85.4% reduction in the coefficient of friction (COF), while the wear rate reached 6.91 × 10 −7 mm 3 /Nm. The lubricating mechanism between the topological structure enhancement and PEEK segment mobility hindrance was discussed. The bridging of WCNTs endowed the interface with high strength and good loading capacity. Therefore, the topological structure‐enhanced PEEK composite was proposed to achieve the service life extension of a water‐lubricated bearing.