A study of tribological behaviors of the phenolic composite coating reinforced with carbon fibers

The nitric acid treatment was used as a method to bind acidic oxygen functional groups on carbon fiber surfaces, thereafter these fibers (CFO) and unmodified carbon fibers (CF) were incorporated into the phenolic composite coating for wear investigations. Surface analyses of the carbon fibers before and after treatments were performed by FTIR, X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS). Tribological behaviors of carbon fibers filled phenolic coatings were investigated using a ring on block wear tests under dry friction condition, and the worn surfaces and the transfer films formed on the surface of counterpart ring were, respectively, studied by SEM and optical microscope. The results show that the additions of carbon fibers were able to reduce the friction coefficient of the phenolic coating and enhance the wear life of it, especially, the wear life of the phenolic coating was the best when content of carbon fibers is at 10 wt.%. Moreover, we found that the friction and wear behaviors of the phenolic coating reinforced with 10 wt.% CFO were better than those of the coating reinforced with 10 wt.% CF. FTIR and XPS analyses indicated that the oxygen functional groups, such as OH, OCO, CO, and CO, were attached on the carbon fiber surfaces after the oxidated treatment. In both cases, appropriate treatments could effectively improve the mechanical and tribological properties in the phenolic composite coating due to the enhanced fiber–matrix interfacial bonding.