Tribological Behavior of Polyamide 66-Based Binary and Ternary Nanocomposites

Abstract

The tribological behavior of polyamide 66 (PA66) and its composites filled with styrene–ethylene/butylene–styrene triblock copolymers (SEBS-g-MA) and organoclay nanolayers, were comprehensively investigated. Sliding tests were performed on a block-on-ring apparatus. We observed that the addition of the single organoclay filler leads to a decrease in the wear resistance of PA66. When SEBS-g-MA copolymers and organoclay nanolayers were added simultaneously to PA66, the wear resistance of PA66 improved remarkably. The corresponding morphologies of the worn surfaces further confirm this result. Differential scanning calorimetry measurements were also performed to observe the effect of fillers on the glass transition temperature (T g). The T g of the composites increased with the addition of organoclay and decreased with the addition of the SEBS-g-MA copolymers. The dispersion states of the SEBS-g-A copolymers and organoclay nanolayers in the PA66 matrix were examined by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The results indicate that the organoclay platelets and the SEBS-g-MA particles were well dispersed in the PA66 matrix.