Tribological characteristics of polyimide composites in hydrogen environment

The influence of hydrogen environment on the friction and wear behavior of polyimide (PI) composites was investigated for two different PI-types (PI1 and PI2) filled with natural or synthetic graphite. Sliding tests were run against AISI 52100 steel and the worn surfaces as well as the transfer film were analyzed by means of SEM, EDX and Infrared Spectroscopy. Results indicate that the chemical structure of the polyimide has a major influence on the tribological behavior. While the friction of PI2 remains rather stable in all environments, PI1 showed very low friction in hydrogen without any lubricant. The lubricity of graphite was found to be more effective in hydrogen than in moist air.