Properties potassium titanate whiskers

More than 100 different materials have to date been produced as whiskers and characterized. However, only SiC- (50 to 100 t, 1996) and potassium titanate whiskers (ca. 5000 t) have achieved commercial importance. Important properties of whiskers are summarized in Table 5.2-18. 

Potassium titanate whiskers were found to improve the tribological properties of NAO friction materials. These soft, synthetic refractory materials stabilize friction level, reduce pad wear, noise, fade, thermal conductivity, control porosity, and provide thermal reinforcement. Fibrous potassium titanates are being replaced by platelet and powder versions because of health concerns associated with respirable fibers. 

Well dispersed potassium titanate whiskers can serve as partially heterogeneous nucleating agents in PEEK resin to promote its crystallization, which is beneficial in increasing the mechanical and tribological properties of PEEK. ... 

As shown in Table 3.16, the whiskers modified with OTS have lower surface energy, lower polar component, and better hydrophobic and lipophilic properties than untreated whiskers. The dispersive component ratio of potassium titanate whiskers modified with OTS to OTS molecules is much closer to the dispersion value of the -CH2- group rather than the -CH3-group, which indicates that the whisker surface modified with... 

Weiping Chen. The study of the surface modification and characterization and interface property of potassium titanate whiskers. Nanjing Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 2004. 

Xin Feng, Donghui Chen, Xiaohong Jiang. Study on friction and wear properties of potassium titanate whiskers-reinforced PTFE composites. Polymer Materials Science and Engineering, 20(5) 129-132, 2004. 

Wu et al.3 compared the friction and wear properties of phenolic resin-filled calcium carbonate whiskers and potassium titanate whiskers. They found that calcium carbonate whisker-filled friction material shows the lowest sensitivity to speed and easy to cause surface abrasion whereas potassium titanate whiskers-filled friction material shows the lowest sensitivity to load and the highest sensitivity to speed. 

Small single crystals, such as those of potassium titanate, are being used at an annual rate of over 10,000 tons for the reinforcement of nylon and other thermoplastics. These composites are replacing die-cast metals in many applications. Another microfiber, sodium hydroxycarbonate (Dawsonite), also improves the physical properties and flame resistance of many polymers. Many other single crystals, called whiskers, such as alumina, chromia, and boron cartnde, have been used for making high-performance composites. 

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