Tribological performance of 3D printed neat and carbon fiber reinforced PEEK composites
Nayan Dhakal, Cayetano Espejo, Ardian Morina, Nazanin Emami
Abstract
This work investigates the tribological behavior of neat and carbon fiber-reinforced polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) materials processed using the fused filament fabrication (FFF) technique. The reciprocating sliding behavior of printed polymers against stainless steel (SS) under dry and water-lubricated conditions was studied. The running-in behavior and evolution of friction were dependent on the material combination and sliding conditions. PEEK reinforced with 10 wt% carbon fibers was optimal considering tribological performance. Neat PEEK exhibited a combination of abrasive and adhesive wear mechanisms, while composites primarily showed fiber-matrix debonding and delamination during sliding. The outcome of this work has significance in improving the processing design of PEEK-based materials in extrusion-based 3D printing for tribological applications.