Mechanistic Insights into Creep-Resistant PTFE/Polyimide Composite Fibers: The Dual Role of Polyimide Micropowder as Nucleating Agent and Friction Modifier 


Vol. 27,  No. 4, pp. 1983-1993, Apr.  2026
10.1007/s12221-026-01326-7


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  Abstract

Despite its exceptional properties, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fiber suffers from pronounced creep, which hinders its application in harsh environments. In this study, PTFE was blended with small quantities (0.5–5 wt%) of polyimide (PI) micropowder via paste extrusion to enhance the fiber properties. The effects of PI content on the fiber’s structure, thermal and mechanical properties, creep resistance, and friction behaviorwere systematically investigated. The results demonstrate that PI micropowder acts as both an effective heterogeneous nucleating agent and physical crosslinker, thereby enhancing PTFE fiber crystallinity (from 22.13% to 26.87%) while reducing the lamellar long period (from 378.51 nm to 168.00 nm). This refined crystalline structure constitutes the primary mechanism underlying the significantly enhanced creep resistance. At 5 wt% PI loading, the fiber creep rate decreases to 5.7%, which is significantly lower than that of pure PTFE fiber. Concurrently, the migration of PI to the fiber surface increases surface roughness and hardness, leading to a significant rise in the static and kinetic friction coefficients from 0.0075/0.0053 to 0.1132/0.1003, respectively. However, excessive PI (> 3 wt%) cause a reduction in elongation at break. This study provides important theoretical and experimental foundations for the development of high-performance PTFE-based composite fibers exhibiting both excellent creep resistance and controllable friction properties.

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  Cite this article

[IEEE Style]

Y. Tao, P. Wang, G. Han, Y. Chen, S. Han, P. Ji, S. Zhang, C. Wang, H. Wang, "Mechanistic Insights into Creep-Resistant PTFE/Polyimide Composite Fibers: The Dual Role of Polyimide Micropowder as Nucleating Agent and Friction Modifier," Fibers and Polymers, vol. 27, no. 4, pp. 1983-1993, 2026. DOI: 10.1007/s12221-026-01326-7.

[ACM Style]

Yi Tao, Pei Wang, Guifang Han, Yue Chen, Shuli Han, Peng Ji, Shengming Zhang, Chaosheng Wang, and Huaping Wang. 2026. Mechanistic Insights into Creep-Resistant PTFE/Polyimide Composite Fibers: The Dual Role of Polyimide Micropowder as Nucleating Agent and Friction Modifier. Fibers and Polymers, 27, 4, (2026), 1983-1993. DOI: 10.1007/s12221-026-01326-7.

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