Wear Performance and Mechanisms of Polyphenylene Sulfide/Polytetrafluoroethylene Wax Composite Coatings Reinforced by Graphene

Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) composite coatings reinforced by graphene were prepared through a spraying method. Wear performance of the composite coatings were evaluated using a block-on-ring test rig, and the results showed that the wear life of the composite coatings were over seven times higher than that of a pure PPS coating. Wear mechanisms of PPS composite coatings reinforced by graphene are discussed. It was concluded that adhesive wear was the major wear mechanism of the pure PPS coating but the wear form of the composite coatings was dominated by abrasive wear due to the graphene filler that has high mechanical strength. In addition, fatigue wear appeared for composite coatings with higher content of graphene. The formation of a uniform thin transfer film on the counterpart ring and fine wear debris for the composites coatings during abrasion were consistent with the improvement of wear performance. The 3D morphology of the surface of the counterpart ring was also used to discuss the wear mechanism of PPS composite coatings.