Abrasive Wear Behaviour of Camphor Soot Filled Coir/Palmyra Fibre Reinforced Nylon Composites

Abstract

The present study investigates the specific wear rate of camphor soot embedded coir and palmyra fibre reinforced nylon composites (CCFNCs) and (CPFNCs), respectively, with a varying weight percentage of fibre loads (0, 3, 6, 9 wt.%) with an aid of twin screw extruder. The two-body abrasive wear analysis was carried out in accordance with ASTM-G99 using a pin on disc apparatus (dry sliding wear) under ambient conditions and dry contact conditions. Mass was taken as a function of constant sliding velocity of 5 m/s for loads of 10, 15, and 20 N and varying sliding distances of 200, 300, 400 m. using 600 grit SiC abrasive sheets. The influence of abrading distance and varying loads were investigated. Abrasive wear loss and specific wear rate was also studied as a function of abrading distance and normal load. The results revealed that for increased sliding distance and load, weight loss increased in both CCFNCs and CPFNCs. Better results were observed in 6 wt.% composites compared to neat and 9 wt.% fibre loads. Specific wear rate was decreased with an increase in sliding distance and load for both CCFNCs and CPFNCs. Excellent wear characteristics were obtained with a 6 wt.% fibre load compared to 9 wt.% Further, the morphology of worn surfaces of neat nylon, CCFNC and CPFNC observed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) shows that wear accrued in the form of microploughing, microcracking, debris formation, and brittle fracture in fibres.