Abstract
The abrasive wear performance of vinyl ester resins modified with various volume fractions (5, 10, 15, 20 and 30%) of graphite powder has been measured. Using a conveyor belt driven testing machine developed locally, it has been possible to realistically simulate the effect of three-body abrasive wear upon these graphite modified polymer samples. A comparison of the calculated dimensionless wear rates obtained for these surfaces reveals that the effect of the graphite powder depends strongly upon the volume fraction of particles in the resin matrix. It appears that, for intermediate volume fractions, the presence of graphite powder in the resin matrix reduces the abrasive wear of the polymer surface. Scanning electron microscopy has been used to probe the mechanisms of abrasive wear of the pure resin and graphite modified surfaces. It appears that the embedded graphite particles can act as a lubricant during the abrasion process thus reducing the wear rate. The effect of increasing graphite powder volume fraction upon the abrasive wear mechanism is discussed.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
