Friction and wear life properties of polyimide thin films

A transition in the friction coefficient and wear life properties of Pyralin polyimide (PI) thin films was found to exist at a temperature between 25 deg and 100 deg C. Above this transition, PI thin films gave long wear lives and low friction coefficients. The presence of H2O in air improved the friction and wear life properties at 25 deg C; but at 100 deg C, H2O had a detrimental effect. At 100 deg C and above, a dry argon atmosphere gave lower friction coefficients and longer wear lives than did a dry air atmosphere