Optimization of PTFE/Cu/Al₂O₃ filled PMMA based composites on tribological properties using Taguchi design method

Abstract

ABSTRACT The filling combination of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)/Cu/Al 2 O 3 filled poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) based composites aiming at low friction and wear is optimized based on L 9 (3 4 ) by Taguchi method. The worn morphologies of PMMA based composites are analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The PTFE transfer film and the wear debris on the steel ball surface are analyzed by SEM and X‐ray spectroscopy. It is observed that the friction and wear of PMMA can be obviously decreased by filling with PTFE, Cu, and Al 2 O 3 . PTFE has the most significant but Cu has the negligibly smallest contribution on both the friction coefficient and the wear rate. The lower friction coefficient (<0.2) appears by the combination of the mass ratio of PTFE larger than about 4.5% and the mass ratio of Al 2 O 3 lower than ∼7.5%. The lower wear rate (<5 × 10 −5 mm 3 /Nm) appears by the combination of the mass ratio of PTFE larger than about 5% and the mass ratio of Al 2 O 3 lower than ∼8%, but it does not include that PTFE is greater than about 8.5% and Al 2 O 3 is less than about 1.5%. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135 , 46705.