Possibility of the polyimide (PI) films waste recycling by solid-state mechanochemistry was investigated in this study. Obtained PI powder was used for development of thermostable blends and multicomponent tribocompositions, which include additions of carbon black, ultradispersive diamond powder, and quasicrystalls. PI films waste treatment was provided in high-energy planetary ball mill. Powder compositions were mixed by low-energy planetary ball mill. Bulk samples were obtained by compression molding. Structural and thermal properties of initial polymers and composite materials were determined from scanning electron microscope, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, dynamic mechanical analysis and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Tribological tests of composite materials were provided in dry sliding regime on "pin-on-disk" tribometer. Finally, optimal regimes of polymer composite materials producing were obtained. (C) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 127: 2960-2968, 2013