Mechanical and tribological behavior of reinforced polymers

Abstract

This thesis investigates the development and characterization of polypropylene (PP) composites filled with biodegradable fillers, focusing on their tribological behavior and mechanical properties. The study aims to address the growing need for sustainable materials in various applications. The increasing environmental concerns and the need for sustainable materials have driven the research towards biodegradable fillers for polymers. However, the impact of these fillers on the mechanical and tribological properties of polymer composites is not well understood. The research involves the preparation of PP composites filled with talc powder and almond shell fillers. The PP-talc composites were fabricated using injection molding with varying talc content (0-50%), and their tribological behavior was investigated through reciprocating sliding tests under dry conditions at room temperature. Additionally, PP-almond shell biocomposites were prepared with different filler contents (0, 5, 10, and 15%) using hot mixing and compression molding. The mechanical and tribological properties of these composites were thoroughly examined. The tribological behavior of PP-talc composites was further investigated using microscratch and reciprocating sliding tests under various environmental conditions. The coefficient of friction (COF) and wear rate (Wr) were evaluated and analyzed at different friction steady-state levels (5000, 10000, and 15000 cycles). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analyses of wear tracks provided insights into wear-induced damage patterns based on talc content. For the PP-almond shell fillers biocomposites, the effects of biofillers on mechanical and tribological properties were investigated through Shore D hardness tests, tensile tests, and pin-on-disk tribometer studies. The results were analyzed and discussed in relation to filler content and size. The study demonstrates that biodegradable fillers can significantly influence the mechanical and tribological properties of PP composites. The findings provide valuable insights into the development of sustainable materials with potential applications in various industries.