Research into the Effect of Grain and the Content of Alundum on Tribological Properties and Selected Mechanical Properties of Polymer Composites.

Aneta Krzyzak,Robert Szczepaniak,Ewelina Kosicka

doi:10.3390/ma13245735

Aneta Krzyzak, Robert Szczepaniak + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13245735

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Abstract

The subject of the research is a polymer composite with a matrix base of epoxy resin L285 cured with H285 hardener, and a physical modifier of friction in the form of alundum. The article presents an analysis of findings of tribological examinations. The authors evaluated the influence of the modifier properties in the form of alundum, i.e., mass share and grain size, on the abrasive wear of a composite, defined as loss of weight as well as on roughness parameters and selected mechanical properties. The tribological examinations have been extended by measurements of hardness and density of the prepared composites. The obtained results of tribological examinations showed an increase in the average value of weight loss in relation to the loss of sample weight loss between the cycles. The influence of both the grain size and the mass percentage share of alundum upon the increase in the longitudinal modulus of elasticity was also observed. On the basis of the obtained results, it was found that alundum of grain sizes equal to F220 and F240 exerted the best influence on the reduction of abrasive wear of the tested samples. In the case of F220, it was 14.04% of the average value of the weight loss between the cycles for all percentage shares of the used grains.

Highlights

Modern industries, especially mechanical engineering [1] and the automotive one [2], are constantly searching for construction materials, which may, due to their enhanced useful properties and increased durability, replace the materials used so far [3,4]
The best result was obtained with TCNTs, which were well dispersed in the epoxy matrix due to the presence of the NH2 groups
All other graphs of weight loss discrepancy are very close to one another, alundum, whose grain equals F220, F240, F280, F320, and F360; see sample discrepancy graphs for both in terms of mathematical descriptions of the regression function (Table 2) as well as of the surface

Summary

Introduction

Especially mechanical engineering [1] and the automotive one [2], are constantly searching for construction materials, which may, due to their enhanced useful properties and increased durability, replace the materials used so far [3,4]. Continuous progress in the field of material engineering provides an opportunity to produce new or improved structural materials, which must undergo extensive research before their production can be optimized and approved for use [5]. Composite materials have long been used due to [13,14]: good constructional properties, small specific gravity, easy moulding of products ( those of large dimensions), Materials 2020, 13, 5735; doi:10.3390/ma13245735 www.mdpi.com/journal/materials diversity of processing techniques, possibility of differentiating the properties by modifying the use of intermediate inputs and processing techniques

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