Design/methodology/approach The tribological properties of silica/graphite/PTFE composites were tested by rotating pin-on-disk friction and wear tester, and the morphology of terrace-like transfer film was observed by 3D laser scanning microscope and quantitatively analyzed through the multi-Gaussian function linear combination model. Findings The results showed that adding 3 wt.% silica in graphite/PTFE composites can reduce the wear rate by 87%. More importantly, the morphology of terrace-like transfer film changed significantly after filling a small amount of silica, including the increase of the number of layers and the coverage rate of transfer film. Originality/value This work is of great significance for further understanding the transfer film and achieving its morphology control to optimize the wear of high performance PTFE composites.