Effect of UHMWPE Incorporation on the Tribological Performance of Carbon Fiber‐Reinforced PEEK Nanocomposites

Ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) was incorporated into a PEEK‐based hybrid material as a lubrication additive to improve the friction and wear performance of the composite due to its superior lubricity. Tribological tests of the materials were conducted using a sliding bearing testing rig, and contact temperatures at the interface between the sliding pair were calculated through finite element simulations (FE simulations). Compared with the UHMWPE‐free reference composite, the UHMWPE‐modified hybrid material exhibits reductions in both the coefficient of friction (COF) and linear wear rate ( w l ) up to the melting temperature of UHMWPE. Under severe load conditions, where the contact temperature exceeds both the melting temperature of UHMWPE and the glass transition temperature of the PEEK, the UHMWPE‐free composite demonstrates improved wear performance owing to its high temperature resistance. These results confirm the feasibility of using UHMWPE as a lubricant in PEEK‐based sliding bearing materials and provide new insights into the development and selection of self‐lubricating sliding bearing materials for real‐world applications.