Assessment of the applicability of laminates containing solid lubricants for sliding components

The aim of this study is to assess the applicability of UV-curable resin-based composite laminates containing solid lubricants as potential materials for sliding components. The tested laminates were produced from glass and carbon fiber fabrics impregnated with a photocurable resin modified with selected solid lubricants: molybdenum disulfide, polytetrafluoroethylene, and graphite. Tribological tests were carried out in a plate-roller configuration under technically dry friction conditions, using C45 steel as the counterelement. The analysis included the coefficient of kinetic friction, surface morphology after sliding, and maximum wear track depth. The results were compared with reference laminates without solid lubricant additives. The lowest coefficient of friction was obtained for the carbon-fiber-reinforced laminate containing molybdenum disulfide. For glass-fiber-reinforced laminates, graphite was the most effective additive in terms of friction reduction, decreasing the coefficient of friction by more than 17% compared with the reference sample. The results showed that the tribological effect of the same solid lubricant depends strongly on the reinforcement type. The investigated laminates therefore show potential for sliding applications; however, the selection of the lubricant additive should be adapted to the specific laminate system and operating conditions.