High-temperature tribological performance of hybrid PTFE/Nomex fabric/phenolic composite

Producing fabric composites with improved high-temperature tribological property is highly desired for their use in practical application, yet still challenging. Herein, we employed MoSi₂ as anti-oxidant and filled it into the hybrid PTFE/Nomex fabric/phenolic composite. The high-temperature tribological properties of the fabric composites were evaluated on a pin-on-disk tribometer. The results showed that the MoSi₂ filled fabric composites displayed much lower wear rates in high-temperature environment, comparing to that of unfilled fabric composite. Moreover, the antiwear property of the MoSi₂ filled fabric composite can be further improved by treating the fabric with air-plasma, as the bonding strength between the fabric and resin was evidently enhanced. The wear behaviors and the corresponding wear mechanisms of the composites were discussed based on the characterizations.