Achieving the ultra-low friction and wear rate of PEEK-PTFE composites by Ti₃C₂T_x MXene reinforcement

In this work, a series of poly(ether-ether-ketone) (PEEK) and poly(tetra-fluoroethylene) (PTFE) composites reinforced by Ti₃C₂T_x MXene are fabricated, and the mechanical as well as tribological properties are investigated. The MXene forms a strong bonding with both PEEK and PTFE, thus improving the compressive strength by 28.37 % when compared to the undoped composite. Meanwhile, the MXene selectively adheres PTFE on the ZrO₂ counterpart and facilitates the formation of transfer tribofilm. Eventually, the PEEK(Ti₃C₂T_x)-PTFE composites reach an ultra-low coefficient of friction (COF) of 0.065 ± 0.003 accompanied by a decrement in wear rate of 40 %. The promising performances of PEEK-PTFE composites by MXene reinforcement indicate an efficient way towards self-lubricating composites.