Research Progress on Tribological Properties of Polymer Composite Materials for Water-Lubricated Bearings

Abstract

Polymer composite materials have attracted considerable attention due to their excellent self-lubricating properties，high chemical stability and vibration damping and noise reduction characteristics.Water-lubricated bearings，which utilize water as the working medium，are characterized by their environmental friendliness，low maintenance costs and simplicity in structural design.They have been extensively applied in various domains including shipping，hydropower and the chemical industry.In this paper，the characteristics of polymer composite materials for water-lubricated bearings were initially summarized.The tribological properties and wear mechanisms of polymer composites under water lubrication conditions were then elucidated.Conventional methods for enhancing the tribological performance of polymer composites were introduced and further exploration were conducted on the intrinsic correlation between the internal structure of the materials，the microstructure of the friction interface and the macroscopic tribological characteristics of the materials.It was pointed out that promoting the in-situ growth of solid lubricating transfer films at the friction interface of water-lubricated polymer-metal pairs could compensate for the insufficiency of water film lubrication and significantly enhance the tribological performance of the pairings.An in-depth study of the micro-mechanisms of friction and wear in composite materials under water lubrication conditions is of significant importance for understanding the tribological mechanisms of water-lubricated pairings.

Keywords

• water lubricated bearings|polymer composites|transfer film|tribological mechanisms