A review on the degradation of properties under the influence of liquid medium of hybrid polymer composites

Abstract

Hybrid polymer composites are more attractive because of their light in weight, more robust and rigid (in the direction of fiber) than traditional or unreinforced polymers with the added advantage of having their design and form adapted to suit the specifications of a particular application by the combination of the right choice of the materials. Reinforcement in a polymer hybrid composite can be fiber, filler, or fiber& filler together. Integrating reinforcement into polymers can lead to significant growth in the wear characteristics and mechanical properties of the polymer. Nevertheless, in applications wherever interaction by the liquid medium is inevitable, the mechanical properties and wear characteristics of hybrid polymer composites undergo degradation, which is a generally seen phenomenon since liquid medium acts as a plasticizer. This study aims to provide detailed information on the mechanical and tribological effects of hybrid polymer composites. More emphasis is given towards degradation of mechanical properties such as tensile strength, bending strength, and degradation of wear characteristics like erosion wear rate, and respective failure characteristics were analyzed under different environments such as water, kerosene, saline, sub-zero conditions.