Influence of Surface Texture on Sealing Performance of PTFE Materials

Due to the hydrodynamic pressure effect, the bearing capacity of the oil film on the surface of a textured friction pair is greater than that of a smooth surface. In this paper, the effects of PTFE surface texture parameters (shape, depth, width, and area ratio) on the oil film bearing capacity and leakage of the sealing system under lubrication are studied using the FLURNT simulation. It is found in this present study that greater texture depths do not necessarily lead to better sealing performance. When the texture depth exceeds a certain level, a reverse flow occurs at the bottom of the texture, thereby weakening the hydrodynamic pressure effect. An optimal texture depth of 5–10 μm maximizes the oil film bearing capacity. Within a certain range, the oil film bearing capacity increases along with texture widths. In addition, leakage of the rectangular texture rises significantly with growing texture widths. Larger texture area ratios result in higher leakage, but the bearing capacity first rises and then falls with an increase in the area ratio, with a maximum value of 70–80%. Considering the influence of texture parameters on oil film bearing capacity and leakage, selecting the most appropriate texture parameters for surface texture treatment optimizes the performance of the sealing system. The findings of this paper provide a theoretical basis for improving the sealing performance of high-end aviation equipment using texture treatment, thereby enabling the application of surface texture technology to improve the tribological properties of materials.