Influence of micro- and nanofiller contents on friction and wear behavior of epoxy composites

In this study, the influence of micro-and nano-filler contents on the tribological performance of epoxy composites was studied. The fillers are micro-Al2O3, micro-TiO2, and micro-fly ash and nano-Al2O3, nano-TiO2, and nanoclay fillers. The microfillers were added to the epoxy by 10%, 20%, and 30% by weight. The nanofillers were added to the epoxy by 2.5%, 5%, and 10%. Friction and wear tests were conducted using the pin-on-disc arrangement. Tribo elements consisted of polymer pin and DIN 1.2344 steel counterface disc. A load value of 15 N, a sliding speed of 0.4 m/s, a sliding distance of 2000 m, and dry atmospheric conditions were applied to test conditions. The results show that the friction coefficients and the specific wear rates of the nanofilled composites increase as the filler content increases. For microfiller-filled epoxy composites, these values decrease as filler content increases. The tribological performance of epoxy composites is enhanced by the addition of microfillers, and the higher enhancement is reached with the addition of 30% fly ash filler. Finally, the pin and disc worn surface images show the presence of adhesive and some abrasive wear mechanisms