EFFECT OF SURFACE TEXTURING ON ELECTROSTATIC PEEK COATINGS OF SPHC FOR IMPROVED WEAR RESISTANCE

The wear resistance of metal components is critical for durability in harsh environments where surface degradation is a leading cause of failure. PEEK (Polyetheretherketone) offers enhanced tribological properties, making it a promising coating material for improving the wear resistance of SPHC (SteelPlate Hot Rolled Commercial)solid body centralizers used in oil and gas well construction. This study investigates surface texturing on the wear resistance of electrostatically powder-coated PEEK on SPHC substrates. Three surface treatments: polishing, shot blasting, and sandblasting, were evaluated to determine their effect on coating performance. Surfaceroughness was quantified via optical profilometry and correlated with tribological behavior, evaluated using a tribometer. Results showed that proper surface preparation strongly influenced coating wear performance, with rougher texturespromotingbetter mechanical bonding. Specific wear rates of 3.959 × 10^-6, 4.98 × 10^-6, and 9.004 × 10^-6 mm^3/N·m were observed for sand blasted, shot blasted and polished substrate at surface roughness values of 12.67 µm, 4.3 µm, and 0.71 µm, respectively. By optimizing the PEEK coating process, the research advances the development of wear-resistant polymer coatings, providing a reliable solution for enhancing the lifespan of SPHC Solid body centralizers. In future studies, focus will be on systematically analyzing this process by conducting a full Design of Experiments using Taguchi methodology.