Glass/Glass Fiber Filled PTFE

Glass/Glass Fiber Filled PTFE

The characteristics of pure PTFE provide many applications in various fields, but it is well known that polytetrafluoroethylene has more additional functions by forming various grades. Different types of PTFE grades obtained through processing and reinforcement can be used for selective applications. Alfa Chemistry Fluoropolymers can provide customers with various types of glass/glass fiber filled PTFE to help customers better meet their needs for high-performance materials.

Glass Fiber

• Glass fiber is composed of various oxides such as SiO2, Na2O, MgO, etc. It is an inorganic non-metallic material with excellent performance, with a wide variety of corrosion resistance and abrasion resistance.
• When glass fiber is used as a reinforcing material for reinforced polytetrafluoroethylene, the biggest feature is that it can increase the tensile strength of the composite material.
• Like polytetrafluoroethylene, it is also a high-level electrical insulation material, and can be used as a thermal insulation material and fire-resistant shielding material. Fiberglass materials are generally only corroded by concentrated alkali, hydrofluoric acid and concentrated phosphoric acid.
• The physically filled glass fiber reinforced material in the modification of PTFE has higher tensile strength and dimensional stability, and can improve the cold flow resistance, creep resistance, heat resistance and better electrical properties of the material. It can reduce the expansion coefficient and inhibit material cracking.

Figure 1. Friction coefficient of PTFE and PTFE composites at 180 °C

• It should be noted that glass fiber reinforced composite materials also have disadvantages, that is, glass fiber is exposed, the surface of the product is rough, the hardness increases, and the mechanical processing equipment is severely worn.

Glass Fiber Filled PTFE

• Generally speaking, the abrasion resistance of glass fiber-filled PTFE composite materials is greatly improved. Compared with unfilled PTFE materials, the wear resistance performance is increased by nearly 500 times, and the use limit PV value is increased by about 10 times, but the increase of glass fiber This leads to an increase in the coefficient of friction. The friction coefficient of the glass fiber and PTFE composite material in the stable wear stage is lower than that of pure PTFE.
• When reinforcing and filling glass fiber, it can also be compounded with graphite, molybdenum disulfide, carbon fiber, bronze powder, etc. according to different composition ratios. The resulting product is suitable for parts with different working requirements. Studies have shown that the blend of molybdenum disulfide and glass fiber filled PTFE is ideal for oil-free lubrication, friction reduction, wear resistance, and sealing, while glass fiber and PTFE composites are not suitable for alkaline media.

Figure 2. SEM structure of 15% Glass Fiber and 5% MoS₂ [2]

• Generally, the diameter of the glass fiber filled into PTFE is 10-13 microns, the average length is 80 microns, the aspect ratio is 5-10, and the filling amount is 15-25%. The addition of glass fiber will significantly improve its resistance to crepuscular degeneration and cold flow, and greatly improve its abrasion resistance. But as the content increases, its tensile strength, elongation and toughness will continue to decrease, and the friction coefficient will gradually increase.

References

1. Ye Sujuan, Zeng Xingrong, Tribology Transactions 57 (2014) 382-386.
2. Prasad M Patare, Dr G. S. Lathkar, Materials Today: Proceedings 5 (2018) 7310–7319.

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