Self-lubricating fabric and production method and use thereof
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lubricants and lubricating greases face challenges in underwater and high-dusty environments, and when used in food or drug production, they can contaminate products and lead to equipment failure due to poor bonding and wear resistance of PTFE-based self-lubricating materials.
Innovation Solution
A self-lubricating fabric with composite yarns formed from fluorinated resin yarns and other yarns, where the other yarns occupy 0-30% of the surface area, with specific diameter ratios and exposed lengths, providing low friction, high wear resistance, and laminating strength, and produced through a simple and cost-effective process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If PTFE resin is used as pressed faces in oil-free lubrication bearings, then lubrication performance is improved, but bonding strength with metal substrate deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a composite structure consisting of a metal substrate (aluminum alloy, copper alloy, or stainless steel) combined with a PTFE resin layer. This composite material approach allows the PTFE layer to provide low friction and wear properties while the metal substrate provides structural strength and bonding capability, resolving the contradiction between lubrication performance and bonding strength.
2Reliability
If PTFE resin is used as self-lubricating material, then friction reduction is achieved, but wear resistance deteriorates due to cold flow
Solution Approach 1:
The composite structure of metal substrate plus PTFE resin layer creates a material system that combines the low friction properties of PTFE with the high wear resistance and dimensional stability of metal. The metal substrate prevents cold flow deformation while the PTFE layer maintains low friction, resolving the contradiction between friction reduction and wear resistance.
3Stability of the object's composition
If impregnating material is clad on entire fiber fabric surface, then resin distribution is improved, but self-lubricating property deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly impregnating the entire fiber fabric surface, the invention applies the impregnating material selectively to specific regions or layers. This local quality approach ensures that the self-lubricating PTFE fibers maintain their low friction properties on the surface while the impregnating material provides structural stability and resin distribution in the underlying layers, resolving the contradiction between resin distribution and self-lubricating property.
4Reliability
If conventional lubricant is used in food or drug production equipment, then lubrication is achieved, but product contamination occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the lubricant substance from the bearing system by using solid PTFE resin as a self-lubricating material. The PTFE layer provides lubrication through its low friction surface properties without requiring liquid lubricants that could contaminate food or drug products, thus resolving the contradiction between achieving lubrication and preventing product contamination.
5Reliability
If conventional lubricant is used in underwater operation, then lubrication is achieved, but maintenance difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the need for liquid lubricants and grease reservoirs by using solid PTFE resin that provides self-lubrication. This eliminates the maintenance requirements associated with lubricant replenishment and contamination control that are particularly problematic in underwater operations, resolving the contradiction between achieving lubrication and ease of maintenance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The fabric achieves low friction, excellent wear resistance, and high laminating strength, suitable for extreme conditions, reducing contamination risks and equipment failure, while maintaining zero environmental pollution.
Implementation Method 1
since PTFE has very low surface energy
Implementation Method 2
since PTFE resin has a drawback of cold flow and may be deformed irreversibly under the action of external force
Implementation Method 3
self-lubricating fabric that can be applied to mechanical moving parts in replacement of conventional lubricant and lubricating grease
Data Source
AI summary
A self-lubricating fabric contains warp yarns or weft yarns that are composite yarns formed from fluorinated resin yarns and other yarns. The surface area of the other yarns on one surface of the fabric takes up 0 to 30% of the total surface area of the composite yarns, and the ratio of the section diameter of the other yarns to the section diameter of the fluorinated resin yarns in the composite yarns is 0.12 to 0.80. A method for producing the self-lubricating fabric and use of the self-lubricating fabric are also disclosed.