The effect of applied load and sliding speed on the tribological properties of Nylon 6 and ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to find the best performance polymer material to be used in railway car bogies.

Design/methodology/approach

Wear tests and optical and scanning electron microscopy were used.

Findings

The friction coefficients of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and Nylon 6 polymers, as opposed to AISI 4140 steel, reduced with the increment of applied loads. With the increment of sliding speed, the friction coefficient increased in both UHMWPE and Nylon 6 polymers. The specific wear rate of the UHMWPE polymer was determined to be about 10-14 m2/N, whereas the rate of Nylon 6 was determined to be 10-13 m2/N.

Practical implications

The aim of the study was to find the best performance polymer material to be used in railway car bogies.

Originality/value

The friction and wear performance of UHMWPE and Nylon 6 engineering polymers were studied and compared to their AISI 4140 steel counterparts. It is an original work and it is not published in any media.

Citation

Unal, H., Hakan Yetgin, S. and Findik, F. (2014), "The effect of applied load and sliding speed on the tribological properties of Nylon 6 and ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 66 No. 3, pp. 498-504. https://doi.org/10.1108/ILT-10-2011-0082