Abstract: Friction and wear characteristics of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene(UHMWPE) modified with 5wt.%,10wt.% and15wt.% Cu(II) chelate of bissalicylaldehyde-ethylenediamine (Schiff base copper complex) against titanium alloy(Ti6Al4V) were tested with a reciprocating tribo-tester under boundary lubrication in calf serum. To investigate wear mechanism of the modified UHMWPE, topographies of worn surfaces were observed by SEM and confocal white light microscope (CWLM), and chemical composition as well as chemical states of worn surface were analyzed by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray photoelectronic spectroscopy(XPS).The results showed that the friction and wear of UHMWPE were improved obviously by Cu(II) chelate of bissalicylaldehyde-ethylenediamine. And friction and wear of the rubbing pairs were reduced with the increasing content (up to 15wt%) of Cu(II) chelate of bissalicylaldehyde-ethylenediamine in UHMWPE. The wear mode was three-body abrasive wear.

Key words: Schiff base, Cu(II) chelate of tetrabenzaldehyde-bisethylenediamine, ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), reciprocating friction and wear;

Author: Gao Wanzhen, Wuhan Research Institute of Materials Protection, Wuhan 430030, China;

E-mail: wz-gao@21cn.com

Tribology, Vol. 29, Issue 6, 2009, 618~626