Microstructures and tribological properties of PEEK-based nanocomposite coatings incorporating inorganic fullerene-like nanoparticles

The high strength, wear resistance and high operational temperature of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) have attracted increasing interests of this material for tribological applications. The addition of solid lubricant is an effective way to further improve the tribological properties of polymeric materials. In the present work, inorganic fullerene-like tungsten disulfide (IF-WS₂) nanoparticles were incorporated into PEEK coatings with the aim of reducing the coefficient of friction (COF) and improving the wear resistance of the coatings. The microstructures of IF-WS₂/PEEK nanocomposite coatings were characterized using a combination of SEM, XRD and FTIR measurements. The thermal behaviours of the coatings were determined using differential thermal analysis (DTA). Tribological tests had also been carried out to evaluate the friction and wear behaviours of IF-WS₂/PEEK nanocomposite coatings. The results showed that significant improvement can be achieved in the tribological properties of the nanocomposite coatings by incorporating IF-WS₂ nanoparticles.