Plastics (such as acetal, nylon, PTFE), carbon graphite and other non-metallic materials have been increasingly used as self-lubricating bearings. Their composition has been refined over many years so as to obtain favorable bearing characteristics. These include low friction, corrosion resistance, ability to conform under load (plastic bearings), ability to function over substantial temperature ranges and substaintial load-carrying capability. Although temperature ranges, dimensional stability and load limitations of plastic gears are in general less than for metallic bearings, plastic bearings are remarkably versatile and economical. A summary of characteristics of representative plastic and non-metallic materials has been given by Machine Design (Vol. 54, #14, June 17, 1982, p. 132) with whose permission the following material is reprinted:
Phenolics: Composite materials consisting of cotton fabric, asbestos, or other fillers bonded with phenolic resin. The good compatibility of the phenolics makes them easily lubricated by various fluids. They have replaced wood bearings and metals in such applications as propeller and rubber-shaft bearings in ships, and electrical switch-gear, rolling-mill, and water-turbine bearings. In small instruments and clock motors, laminated phenolics serve as structural members as well as a bearing material. They have excellent strength and shock resistance, coupled with resistance to water, acid, and alkali solutions. Some precautions must be observed with phenolic bearings. Thermal conductivity is low, so heat generated by bearing friction cannot readily be transmitted through the bearing liner. Consequently, larger, heavily loaded bearings must have a generous feed of water or lubricating oil to carry away heat. Some swelling and wraping of these bearings occurs in the larger sizes, so larger-than-normal shaft clearances are required. Nylon: Although the phenolics have predominated in heavy-duty applications, they are frequently replaced by nylon, which has the widest use in bearings. Nylon bushings exhibit low friction and require no lubrication. Nylon is quiet in operation, resists abrasion, wears at a low rate, and is easily molded, cast, or machined to close tolerances. Possible problems with cold flow at high loads can be minimized by using a thin liner of the material in a well-supported metal sleeve. Improvement in mechanical properties, rigidity, and wear resistance is obtained by adding fillers such as graphite and molybdenum disulfide to nylon. While the maximum recommended continuous service temperature for ordinary nylon is 170°F, and 250°F for heat-stabilized compositions, filled-nylon parts resist distortion at temperatures up to 300° F. PTFE: has an exceptionally low coefficient of friction and high self-lubricating characteristics, resistance to attack by almost any chemical, and an ability to operate under a wide temperature range. High cost combined with low load capacity has frequently caused PTFE resin to be selected only in some modified form. PTFE is used as a bearing material in automotive knuckle and ball joints, chemical and food processing equipment, aircraft accessories, textile machinery, and business machines. Although unmodified PTFE can be used to a PV valueof only 1,000, PTFE filled with glass fiber, graphite, or other insert materials, can be used at PV values up to 10,000 or more. In general, higher PV values can be used with PTFE bearings at low speeds where coefficient of friction may be as low as 0.05 to 0.1. One bearing material combines the low friction and good wear resistance of lead-filled PTFE with the stength and thermal conductivity of a bronze and steel supporting structure. A plated steel backing is covered with a thin layer of sintered, spherical, bronze particles. The porous bronze is then impregnated with a mixture of PTFE and lead to provide a thin surface layer. Service temperatures of -330° to +536°F are possible. Woven PTFE fabrics are often readily handled and applied. With their resistance to cold flow, they are used as bearings in a wide variety of high-load applications as automotive thrust washers, ball-and-socket joints, aircraft controls and accessories, bridge bearings, and electrical switch gear. To provide a strong bond to either steel or other rigid backing material, a secondary fiber such as polyester, cotton, or glass is commonly interwoven with PTFE. The woven fabric then is bonded to steel backing. Improved versions of this type of bearing have woven or braided "socks" (of PTFE and a bondable material). The bearing sleeve is then filament wound with a fiberglass-epoxy shell. These bearings have been reported to carry dynamic loads as high as 50,000 psi. Acetal: Has been used for inexpensive bearings in a wide variety of automotive, appliance, and industrial applications. It is particularly useful in wet environments because of its stability and resistance to wet abrasion. Polyimide, Polysulfone, Polyphenylene: High-temperature materials with excellent resistance to both chemical attack and burning. With suitable fillers, these moldable plastics are useful for PV factors to 20,000 and 30,000. Polyimide molding compounds employing graphite as a self-lubricating filler show promise in bearing, seal, and piston ring applications at temperatures to 500° F. Polyphenylene sulfide can be applied as a coating through use of a slurry spray, dry powder, or fluidized bed. The coating techniques require a final bake at about 700 °F. Ultrahigh-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene: Resists abrasion and has a smooth, low-friction surface. Often an ideal material for parts commonly made from acetal, nylon, or PTFE materials. Carbon-Graphite: The self-lubricating properties of carbon bearings, their stability at temperatures up to 750° F, and their resistance to attack by chemicals and solvents, give them important advantages in fields where other bearing materials are unsatisfactory. Carbon-graphite bearings are used where contamination by oil or grease is undesirable, as in textile machinery, food handling machinery, and pharamaceutical processing equipment. They are used as bearings in and around ovens, furnaces, boilers, and jet engines where temperatures are too high for conventional lubricants. They are also used with low-viscosity and corrosive liquids in such applications as metering devices or pumps for gasoline, kerosene, hot and cold-water, sea water, chemical process streams, acids, alkalis, and solvents. The composition and processing used with carbon bearings can be varied to provide characteristics required for particular applications. Carbon-graphite has 5% to 20% porosity. These pores can be filled with a phenolic or expoy resin for improved strength and hardness, or with oil or metals (such as silver, copper, bronze, cadmium, or babbitt) to improve compatibility properties. A PV limit of 15,000 ordinarily can be used for dry operation of carbon bearings. This should be reduced for contionuous running with a steady load over a long period of time to avoid excessive wear. When operating with liquids which permit the development of a supporting fluid film, much higher PV values can be used. A hard, rust-resistant shaft with at least a 10-µin. finish should be used. Hardened tool steel or chrome plate is recommended for heavy loads and high-speed applications. Steel having a hardness over Rockwell C50, bronzes, 18-8 stainless steels, and various carbides and ceramics also can be used. Certain precautions should be observed in applying carbon-graphite. Since this material is brittle, it is chipped or cracked easily if struck on an edge or a corner, or if subjected to high thermal, tensile, or bending stresses. Edges should be relived with a chamfer. Sharp corners, thin sections, keyways, and blind holes should be avoided wherever possible. Because of the brittleness and low coefficient of expansion (about ¼ that of steel), carbon-graphite bearings are often shrunk into a steel sleeve. This minimizes changes in shaft clearance with temperature variations and provides mechanical support for carbon-graphite elements. The comparative properties of three proprietary materials are summarized in Table 1. Table 1 Comparative Properties of Graphitar,(i) Oilon PV ®-80(ii) and Rulon (iii)
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