Physicomechanical and Tribological Properties of Polymer Composites Filled with Lubricant-Containing Microcapsules

Abstract

Polymer composite materials based on Fenilon S-2 (FS-2) heat-resistant aromatic polyamide and filled with microcapsules containing a lubricating material were developed and used for tribological purposes. FS-2 acts both as a matrix and as a material of microcapsule shells. The choice of oils suitable for preparing the composite is limited and is determined by the capability of oils to preserve lubricating properties at high temperatures of FS-2 forming, up to 320°С. The tribotechnical and physicomechanical tests of the developed composites containing microcapsules demonstrated significant improvement of the tribological characteristics of the materials relative to the initial polymer. The polymer composites filled with microcapsules form an oriented lubricating film on the friction surfaces; this film is retained under high loads for a long time.