Abstract:
Fiber reinforcement is a commonly used method to enhance the wear resistance and mechanical properties of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composite coatings. The fiber content in PTFE composite coatings is typically around 10%, and achieving a higher fiber content presents challenges in fiber dispersion. This study optimizes the whisker dispersion process by utilizing PTFE emulsion and silicon resin emulsion as a binder to fabricate PTFE composite coatings reinforced with silicon carbide whiskers at high volume fractions (17%-50%) and uniform distribution. The results indicate that, when the silicon carbide whisker content is high, the uniformly dispersed whiskers can form a self-similar continuous skeletal structure through disordered stacking in the composite coating, effectively inhibiting crack propagation. The impact toughness of the composite coating increased by 10 times, and the adhesion strength improved by over 1 time. Furthermore, the whisker skeleton provides an interface load-bearing mechanism, enhancing the PTFE composite coating’s resistance to axial forces and reducing wear rate. When the mass fraction of silicon carbide whiskers is 17%, the composite coating exhibits optimal comprehensive performance, with an impact strength of 50 kg·cm, a wear rate of 1.456×10
−4 mm
3·N
−1·m
−1, a Vickers hardness of HV 54.82, and a coefficient of friction of 0.12. This whisker skeletal structure provides valuable insights for the design of high-performance resin-based composite coatings.