On the correlation abrasive wear resistance – molecular weight: A quantitative wear law for polymeric fibres

This paper focuses on the relationships between the abrasive wear resistance and the molecular weight of poly(amide) 6 fibres. From microscopic observations of the worn fibres, the volumetric wear losses were measured as a function of applied load and the number average molecular weight. A master curve describing the wear of poly(amide) fibres is obtained under controlled contact conditions and for molecular weights ranging from 19 to 31 kg/mol. An empirical wear law is derived which takes explicitly into account the molecular weight dependence.