Preparation of ultra-high mechanical strength wear-resistant carbon fiber textiles with a PVA/PEG coating

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is an organic polymer that is non-toxic, harmless to the human body, and has good biocompatibility. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a polymer that has good lubricity and compatibility. The unique graphite structure of carbon fibers can promote the potential application of carbon–fiber composites in tribology. This study explores the relationship between two kinds of organic polymer compounds and carbon fiber cloth (CFC), specifically a PVA/PEG composite coating that is impregnated on the CFC surface. The CFC is synthesized by chemical cross-linking, and the CFC composites (PVA/PEG/CFC) were synthesized. The tribological properties of PVA/PEG/CFC were tested under different concentrations, loads, and velocities. The effects of the different lubricants, surface morphologies, and tensile strengths on the mechanical and tribological properties of PVA/PEG/CFC were studied. In comparison to the original CFC, the friction coefficient and wear morphology of the composite material were reduced and the friction coefficient trend was stable. The addition of PVA/PEG improved the surface lubrication performance of the composite material and reduced the average friction coefficient. In addition, under the different lubrication mechanisms, oil as a lubricant can significantly reduce the friction coefficient and surface wear. In summary, the biocompatible coating process that is proposed in this study can effectively improve the tribological properties of the surface of the CFC.