Friction and wear of PPS/CNT nanocomposites with formation of electrically isolating transfer films

The effects of various fillers, i.e. short carbon fibers (SCF), graphite flakes, carbon nanotubes (CNT) and their combinations, on the tribological behavior and transfer film structures of polyphenylensulfide (PPS) were investigated. The hybrid composite filled with combined SCF, graphite and CNT shows the best tribological performance among the composites studied due to a fast formation of a groove-filling transfer film on the counterpart. Especially when measuring the electrical conductivity of the sliding contact during the friction process, a close relationship between the tribological behavior and the structure of the isolating transfer film was evident.