Abstract
The effect of crump rubber on the dry sliding wear behavior of epoxy composites is investigated in the present study. Wear tests are carried out for three levels of crump rubber (10, 20, and 30 vol.%), normal applied load (30, 40, and 50 N), and sliding distance (1, 3, and 5 km). The wear behavior of crump rubber–epoxy composites is investigated against EN31 steel discs. The hybrid mathematical approach of Taguchi-coupled Grey Relational Analysis (GRA)—Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is used to examine the influence of crump rubber on the tribological response of composites. Mathematical and experimental results reveal that increasing crump rubber content reduces the wear rate of composites. Composites also show a significant decrease in specific wear values at higher applied loads. Furthermore, the coefficient of friction also shows a decreasing trend with an increase in crump rubber content, indicating the effectiveness of reinforcing crump rubber in a widely used epoxy matrix. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) results also reveal that the crump rubber content in the composite is a significant parameter to influence the wear characteristic. The post-test temperature of discs increases with an increase in the applied load, while decreasing with an increase in filler loading. Worn surfaces are analyzed using scanning electron microscopy to understand structure–property correlations. Finally, existing studies available in the literature are compared with the wear data of the present study in the form of a property map.
Highlights
Polymeric composite materials have gained significant importance in contemporary manufacturing scenarios, due to a number of advantages offered in terms of low density, high strength-to-weight ratio, and higher specific properties [1]
Based on the available studies in the literature, it can be inferred that a combination of experimental and mathematical modelling studies on the dry sliding wear response of crump rubber–epoxy composites has not been reported to date; the present study intends to fill this gap
The present study aims to understand the effect of crump rubber on the wear behavior of particulate-filled polymer composites and demonstrate the important parameters that help to develop good friction materials
Summary
Polymeric composite materials have gained significant importance in contemporary manufacturing scenarios, due to a number of advantages offered in terms of low density, high strength-to-weight ratio, and higher specific properties [1]. Wear is one of the most common occurrences in tribology-related applications and, an ever-increasing push is seen towards developing materials with low coefficient of friction and cost of constituents, ease of manufacturing, and higher specific properties [6]. The present study aims to understand the effect of crump rubber on the wear behavior of particulate-filled polymer composites and demonstrate the important parameters that help to develop good friction materials. In this regard, a pin-on-disc setup was utilized to test the composites under dry conditions. Results from the current study are compared with the available studies, and are depicted as a property map to act as a guide for industrial practitioners and researchers
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