Compositions having improved tribological properties, methods of manufacture thereof and articles comprising the same

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a composition comprising a crosslinked organic polymer; wherein the composition has a coefficient of friction that is in a range of ±30% of a coefficient of friction for a composition comprising the same organic polymer that is not crosslinked; and wherein the composition has a lower K factor than a K factor of the composition comprising the same organic polymer that is not crosslinked; the coefficient of friction and the K factor being measured in a thrust washer apparatus as per ASTM D-3702, where the counter stationary surface in the thrust washer apparatus comprises carbon steel having a Rockwell C hardness of 18 to 22 and a 12 to 16 micro-inch surface finish.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composition comprising:
 a crosslinked organic polymer; wherein the composition does not undergo catastrophic failure for a period of about 1 to about 48 hours when tested in a thrust washer apparatus as per ASTM D-3702, where the counter stationary surface in the thrust washer apparatus comprises carbon steel having a Rockwell C hardness of 18 to 22 and a 12 to 16 micro-inch surface finish, where the composition is subjected to a pressure of about 2 to about 400 pounds per square inch and a linear velocity of about 20 to about 400 feet per minute during the test in the thrust washer apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , where the composition does not undergo catastrophic failure for a period of about 16 to about 30 hours when the composition is subjected to a pressure of about 20 to about 80 pounds per square inch and a linear velocity of about 40 to about 200 feet per minute during the test in the thrust washer apparatus. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , where the composition does not undergo catastrophic failure for a period of about 20 to about 28 hours when the composition is subjected to a pressure of about 40 to about 60 pounds per square inch and a linear velocity of about 100 to about 150 feet per minute during the test in the thrust washer apparatus. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , where the crosslinked organic polymer is a polyamide. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , where the composition is crosslinked using a crosslinking agent. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , where the composition is crosslinked using a cyanurate crosslinking agent, an isocyanate crosslinking agent, a polyaldehyde crosslinking agent, a phosphine crosslinking agent, an epoxy crosslinking agent, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing crosslinking agents. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , where the composition is crosslinked using radiation. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 7 , where the radiation is xray radiation, electron beam radiation, gamma radiation, beta radiation, ultraviolet radiation, alpha radiation, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing forms of radiation. 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 crosslinking an organic polymer; the crosslinking being effective to produce a composition that has a coefficient of friction that is similar to a coefficient of friction for a composition comprising the same organic polymer that is not crosslinked; and wherein the composition has a lower K factor than a K factor of the composition comprising the same organic polymer that is not crosslinked; the coefficient of friction and the K factor being measured in a thrust washer apparatus as per ASTM D-3702, where the counter stationary surface in the test equipment is comprises carbon steel having a Rockwell C hardness of 18 to 22 and a 12 to 16 micro-inch surface finish.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising blending a crosslinking agent with the organic polymer prior to the crosslinking. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising heating the organic polymer. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising irradiating the organic polymer. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , where the irradiation is conducted with a radiation dosage of about 10 to about 500 kiloGrays per unit cross-sectional area of about 100 square micrometers to about 900 square centimeters. 
     
     
         14 . A method comprising:
 crosslinking an organic polymer; the crosslinking being effective to produce a composition that does not undergo catastrophic failure for a period of about 1 to about 48 hours when tested in a thrust washer apparatus as per ASTM D-3702, where the counter stationary surface in the thrust washer apparatus comprises carbon steel having a Rockwell C hardness of 18 to 22 and a 12 to 16 micro-inch surface finish, where the composition is subjected to a pressure of about 2 to about 400 pounds per square inch and a linear velocity of about 20 to about 400 feet per minute during the test in the thrust washer apparatus.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising blending a crosslinking agent with the organic polymer prior to the crosslinking. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising irradiating the organic polymer. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , where the irradiation is conducted with a radiation dosage of about 10 to about 500 kiloGrays per unit cross-sectional area of about 100 square micrometers to about 900 square centimeters. 
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 crosslinking an organic polymer; the crosslinking being effective to produce a composition that has a coefficient of friction that is similar to a coefficient of friction for a composition comprising the same organic polymer that is not crosslinked; and wherein the composition has a lower K factor than a K factor of the composition comprising the same organic polymer that is not crosslinked; the coefficient of friction and the K factor being measured in a thrust washer apparatus as per ASTM D-3702, where the counter stationary surface in the test equipment is comprises carbon steel having a Rockwell C hardness of 18 to 22 and a 12 to 16 micro-inch surface finish; and subjecting the composition to friction.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , where the friction comprises sliding friction. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , where the friction comprises static friction.