Modification effects of short carbon fibers on mechanical properties and fretting wear behavior of UHMWPE composites

The present work comparatively studied the modification effects of short carbon fiber (CF) on the mechanical properties and fretting wear behavior of ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)/CF composites. The interactions between CFs and UHMWPE interface were also investigated in detail. The results showed that, with the increase in fiber content, the compressive modulus and hardness of the composites increased, while its impact strength decreased. It was found that filling of CF can reduce the friction and wear of UHMWPE. In addition, the UHMWPE‐based composites reinforced with nitric acid‐treated CF exhibited better mechanical properties, lower friction coefficient, and higher wear resistance than those of untreated UHMWPE/CF composites. This was attributed to the improvement of interfacial adhesion and compatibility between CF and UHMWPE matrix caused by surface chemical modification of CF. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.