Tribological Performance of Polyimide Materials: A Review of Influencing Factors and Optimization Strategies

Polyimide (PI) materials have become indispensable in critical fields such as aerospace, precision instruments, and high-end equipment owing to their excellent mechanical properties and thermal stability. As a key component in tribological systems, the tribological behavior of PI directly determines the operational reliability and service life of mechanical systems. However, this performance is influenced by the coupled effects of multiple factors, including molecular structure, operating conditions, and interfacial characteristics. Conventional studies have often been limited to analyzing individual factors in isolation, lacking a systematic optimization perspective spanning from material preparation to interfacial behavior. This review systematically summarizes the influence mechanisms of factors, ranging from material structure to surface and interface interactions, on the friction and wear behavior of PI, with a focus on the operating principles and research progress of three types of strategies: material preparation optimization, post-treatment modification, and interface regulation. By comparing the advantages and limitations of each approach, a multi-strategy synergistic optimization pathway is proposed, offering new insights for the holistic improvement of the tribological performance of PI. Furthermore, the article provides a perspective on the application of cutting-edge technologies such as "intelligent interfacial response" in the tribological design of PI, thereby establishing a theoretical foundation and forward-looking vision for the integrated structure-function design of next-generation high-performance PI tribocomponents.