Effects of sliding velocity and applied load on the tribological mechanism of amorphous poly-ether–ether–ketone (PEEK)

In this work, the effects of sliding velocity and applied load on the tribological characteristics, i.e. friction coefficient and wear rate, of an amorphous poly-ether–ether–ketone (PEEK) coating was examined. Friction tests were performed on a ball-on-disc apparatus. Based on analyses of the worn tracks, a comprehensive attempt is made to approach the tribological mechanism of amorphous PEEK. A hypothesis is proposed that the tribological behaviour of the amorphous PEEK is closely related to its viscoelastic behaviour. The sliding velocity plays significant roles on the tribological characteristics by influencing the interface temperature and strain rate of the PEEK surface layer involved in the friction process. The applied load influences the tribological performance by varying the strain range in the surface layer.