Influence of the hard segment content on the mechanical and tribological properties of the polyurethane modified by hydroxyl‐terminated polydimethylsiloxane under different lubricated conditions

Abstract Two kinds of polyurethane (PU) composites with different hard segment content modified by a high molecular weight hydroxyl‐terminated polydimethylsiloxane (HTPDMS) were prepared. The effect of the hard segment content on the mechanical and tribological properties of the PU composites was studied. Tensile strength of the PU composites increased with the increasing of the hard segment content. The friction and wear experiments were tested on a MRH‐3 model ring‐on‐block test rig at different sliding speeds and loads under different lubricated conditions. Experimental results revealed that the coefficient of friction (COF) and the wear rate value of the PU composites decreased with increasing hard segment content and the COF of the PU composites under dry friction was higher than that under water and sea water lubrication. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigations showed that the worn surfaces of the PU under water and sea water lubrication were smoother than that under dry friction. Besides, the wear rate value of the PU composites under water and sea water lubrication was smaller than that under dry friction. POLYM. COMPOS., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers