| Abstract: | The wear and friction behavior of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)/ polypropylene (PP) blends was studied. The addition of PP improves processability and the anti‐wear properties of UHMWPE. The friction coefficient and wear rate of pure UHMWPE are much higher than those of UHMWPE/PP blends under the same conditions, and the wear rate of UHMWPE is more sensitive to load and wear time than that of the UHMWPE/PP blend. Long scratch grooves and cracks occurred in the worn surface of UHMWPE, while no such serious damage was observed in the worn surface of the UHMWPE/PP blend. Atomic Force Micrograph using the contact mode indicated that the friction force between pure UHMWPE and Si3N4 tip is much higher than that for the UHMWPE/PP blend, which is consistent with the results from macro‐friction testing. |
