Effects of nano-LaF3 on the friction and wear behaviors of PTFE-based bonded solid lubricating coatings under different lubrication conditions

Influence of nanometer lanthanum fluoride (nano-LaF3) on the tribological behaviors of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) bonded solid lubricating coatings were investigated using a ring-on-block friction-wear tester under dry friction and RP-3 jet fuel lubrication conditions. The worn surfaces and transfer films formed on the counterpart steel rings were observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and optical microscope (OM), respectively. The microstructures of the nano-LaF3 modified coatings and the distribution states of nano-LaF3 were studied by field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. The results show that incorporation of nano-LaF3 improves the microhardness and the friction-reduced and anti-wear abilities of PTFE bonded solid lubricating coatings. The wear life of the modified coating is about 6 times longer than that of the coating without nano-LaF3 filler at a relatively low applied load (200 N) and rotary speed (1000 rev/min) under dry friction condition. The friction coefficient and wear life of the modified coating decrease with increase of applied load under dry friction, but the friction coefficient has hardly any variation and wear life decreases under RP-3 jet fuel lubrication condition. In addition, the friction coefficient of the modified coating reduces with the rotary speed increasing under dry sliding but has little change under RP-3 lubrication, the wear life increases firstly and then decreases. The results indicated that the wear failure mechanism is dominated by applied load, which plays an important role in guidance of application of nano-LaF3 modified PTFE bonded coating under different working environment.