Boosting the Low-Temperature Tribological Properties of Carbon Fiber/Phenolic Resin Composites Through 1H,1H,2H,2H-Perfluorooctane Trichlorosilane Modification

At low temperature (−60°C), increased brittleness and surface grease adhesion promote significant adhesive wear in the composites. 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctane trichlorosilane (PFOTS) was coated onto carbon fibers to enhance the tribological performance at low temperature of the composites. Compared to the original material, the shear strength of the modified sample was increased by 31.9% to 20.16 MPa, while the wear rate under −60°C was decreased significantly by 87.5% to 1.72 × 10 −8 cm 3 /J. The low-temperature adhesive wear mechanisms were first revealed by combining experimental measurements with molecular dynamics simulations, and the simulations further clarified how a PFOTS coating modifies the tribological response of the material.