Effect of Fluorination of Ultrahigh-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene and Its Composites on the Surface Structure and Properties

Abstract

The fluorination of ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene and its composites containing graphite nanoplates, montmorillonite, molybdenum disulfide, and schungite as fillers was studied. The degrees of fluorination of the composites achieved at equal intervals of time were found to depend on the type of the filler. SEM images were obtained, and an EMF analysis of the surface of the starting and fluorinated polymer samples was performed. Fluorination affected the surface morphology. The distribution of fluorine that reacted with the polymer in its surface layer was shown to depend on the introduced filler. The effect of fluorination on the sliding friction coefficient and the wear in the dry friction mode of ultrahigh-molecularweight polyethylene and its composites was determined. The surface fluorination led to a decrease in these characteristics.