Wear-Resistant Compositions Including Crosslinked Aromatic Polymers and Methods for Improving Wear Resistance Using the Same

A composition for use in forming an article subject to a frictional force or for use in a tribological system, comprising

• at least one crosslinkable aromatic polymer matrix material;
• and
• one or more additives selected from continuous or discontinuous, long or short, reinforcing fibers selected from carbon fibers, glass fibers, woven glass fibers, woven carbon fibers, aramid fibers, boron fibers, polytetrafluoroethylene fibers, ceramic fibers, polyamide fibers;
• and/or one or more fillers selected from carbon black, silicate, fiberglass, glass beads, glass spheres, milled glass, calcium sulfate, boron, ceramic, polyamide, asbestos, fluorographite, aluminum hydroxide, barium sulfate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, silica, aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide, borax (sodium borax), activated carbon, pearlite, zinc terephthalate, graphite, graphene, talc, mica, silicon carbide whiskers or platelets, nanofillers, molybdenum disulfide, fluoropolymer fillers, boron nitride, nanodiamond, microdiamond, carbon nanotubes and fullerene tubes.

A method of improving the wear resistance of an article formed from a composition, wherein the article is for use in a high PV end application in which it is subject to a frictional force or used in a tribological system, comprising

• providing to the composition at least one crosslinkable aromatic polymer matrix material which, when crosslinked, remains operable at a PV of at least about 75,000 psi-ft./min;
• crosslinking the at least one crosslinkable aromatic polymer in the composition;
• and
• forming the article.

A composition for use in forming an article subject to a frictional force or for use in a tribological system, comprising

• at least one crosslinkable aromatic polymer matrix material wherein,
• (i) when crosslinked, substantially maintains its dimensional stability after heating above a critical transition temperature;
• (ii) when crosslinked, it avoids catastrophic failure above the critical transition temperature;
• and/or
• (iii) when crosslinked and incorporated into an article subject to a frictional force or in a tribological system, substantially retains its dimensional stability over the critical transition temperature of the crosslinked aromatic polymer in the article.