Tribological Properties of Polycarbonate Blended with High‐density Polyethylene and High‐density Polyethylene Grafted with Maleic Anhydride

High‐density polyethylene (HDPE) and maleic anhydride grafted HDPE (HDPE‐g‐MA) were selected as lubricant and compatibilizer, respectively, for improving the tribological and mechanical properties of polycarbonate (PC). The morphology of worn surfaces and debris was observed by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The mated steel ring surface was analyzed by using SEM combined with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Both HDPE and HDPE‐g‐MA reduced the friction and wear of pure PC. HDPE‐g‐MA, which had a better compatibility with PC than HDPE, resulted in better improvement of the mechanical and tribological properties of the PC matrix. A 10 vol. % HDPE‐g‐MA reduced the wear of pure PC by 4 orders of magnitude, and the friction coefficient was reduced from 0.86 to 0.22. Such improvements in the tribological behavior resulted from the good self lubrication of HDPE and HDPE‐g‐MA. The PC/HDPE‐g‐MA (S90‐0‐10) polyblend also showed higher notched impact strength than pure PC. It may be a useful material for application in tribological fields.