Insights on the Formation Mechanism of Ultra-Low Friction of Phenolic Resin Graphite at High Temperature

Abstract

In the present paper, the influences of high temperature on the tribological properties of phenolic resin graphite (PRG) sliding against tungsten carbide-nickel (WC-Ni) alloy in ambient air were investigated systematically. Results demonstrated that the antifriction behaviors of PRG was sensitive to high temperature and PRG exhibits ultra-low coefficient of friction (CoF) of about 0.01–0.015. The low CoF is attributed to the formation of graphite tribofilms, which shows different formation processes on the contact interface at different temperatures (room temperature, 200, 300 and 400◦ C). These findings provide insight into the formation mechanism of graphite tribofilms, and provide an important basis for improving the tribological properties of graphite-based friction materials and manufacturing new graphite for seal applications.