Predicting Bearing Performance of Filled Teflon TFE Resins

Abstract

The wear rates of filled compositions of Teflon can be reliably predicted using an experimentally determined wear factor if the bearing pressure, velocity, temperature, and geometry are known. New evidence confirms the wear rates are directly proportional to pressure and velocity in both the mild wear regime and the severe wear regime, although the wear factors are much higher in the severe regime. The transition from mild to severe wear is pressure and surface temperature dependent and coincides with (but is not adequately described by) PV limit. An application factor is proposed to relate bearing surface temperatures to PV and geometry.