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Authors
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Pagkalis, K.; Schmidt, T.; Emrich, S.; Merz, R.; Sauer, B.; Gedan-Smolka, M.; Kopnarksi, M.; L´huillier, J.; Koch, O.
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Title
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Research and development of an optimized solid lubricant based on chemically bonded PTFE compound for use in worm gears
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Date
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18.09.2025
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Number
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0
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Abstract
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Worm gears are usually lubricated with oil or grease. However, there are applications such as the medical sector, food industry, and others where these types of lubrication become inappropriate and lose their effectiveness, making solid lubrication a necessary alternative. A very common polymer for this is polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE), which is characterized by a wide temperature application range, very low friction coefficient, and chemical resistance but poor mechanical properties and high wear. Moreover, PTFE cannot be processed using typical thermoplastic processing technologies such as injection molding. On the other hand, polyamide (PA) has good mechanical properties and wear resistance. A physical mixture or chemical coupling of both components can combine the beneficial properties of both materials. In this work, various chemically covalently bonded PA–PTFE compounds are tested as sacrificial elements for steel bronze contacts on a three-disk tribometer and in worm gears. PTFE is utilized in two forms, irradiated PTFE chemically bonded in a PA matrix and virgin PTFE physically mixed with PA. A three-disk test rig and a worm gearbox test rig are used for the tests. Results indicate that PTFE concentration above a certain amount (≥30 wt%) and chemically bonded (cb) PA-PTFE-oil-cb compounds are more effective in terms of wear and friction reduction compared to other compounds. The transfer film formation of the lubricant at steel and bronze surfaces was detected with surface analytical methods. Research work from the development of a lubrication system through to its application requires interdisciplinary cooperation. The research was carried out in a joint project by three research centers. The project concludes with tests on worm gears, which demonstrate the effectiveness of preferred chemically bonded PTFE compounds developed.
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Publisher
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Taylor & Francis
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Wikidata
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Citation
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Tribology Transactions 68 (2025) 1126-1145
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DOI
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https://doi.org/10.1080/10402004.2025.2513929
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Tags
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