Cardo Copolymers: A Friction–Chemical Structure Relationship

Abstract

Poly(arylene ether ketone)s containing pendent bulky cardo groups in the monomer unit, while having a high antifrictionality, do not obey the earlier established regularity of the relationship between chemical structure and friction. The necessity of taking into account the flexibility of macromolecules is an additional factor for these polymers. To XPS study the tribochemical processes of carded polymers, “flexible chain” and “rigid chain” copolyarylene ether ketones (co-PAEKs) were used. It was found that the flexible moieties of the macromolecule favor a decrease in the friction coefficient and an increase in the wear resistance. Impaired tribochemical indices of the rigid cardo polymer are caused by active tribodestruction of phthalimidine groups.