Mechanochemical Effect of Filler Surface Functionality on Fluoropolymer Tribology

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.1c00395
• Publication Date: 2021-06-30T18:47:36Z
• Authors: Wei Sun; Xiaojun Liu; Qingrui Song; Kun Liu; Wei Wang; Yunxiang Lu; Jiaxin Ye
• Keywords: Mechanochemistry; Fluoropolymer; Filler (materials); Carboxylate

The 10 000× wear resistance improvement of PTFE by a trace amount nanofillers has been heavily studied in the past decade and attributed to moisture-dependent, mechanochemical formation adherent carboxylate salt-rich transfer films. However, debates still exist on role fillers reduction. Based experimental computational studies selected nanocomposites, we proposed that (1) filler-driven polymer defluorination was first key step mechanochemistry; (2) effective wear-reducing lowered energy barrier defluorination; (3) filler surface functionality, chelation products film, were strongly correlated. This hypothesis further supported thermal experiments this study, which showed mechanochemistry both thermally sensitive.