The effect of titanium dioxide on the tribological properties of carbon fiber-reinforced polyimide composites

This study examined the effect of titanium dioxide (TiO2) dispersion on the tribological properties of carbon fiber (CF)-reinforced–polyimide (PI) matrix (CF/PI) composites. Nanocomposites were prepared through compression molding as milled CF/PI mixtures without further melt mixing. The incorporation of TiO2 leads to a significant improvement in friction and wear properties of the CF/PI composite. The scratches on the worn surface of the CF/PI composite filled with TiO2 are considerably reduced. We can see a relatively smooth, uniform, and compact worn surface, which is in good agreement with the considerably increased wear resistance of the CF/PI composite.