Dry Sliding Wear Behavior of Chemically Treated Sisal Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Composites

ABSTRACT

The effect of fiber surface treatment on the structural, thermal, and tribological properties of sisal fibers and their epoxy composites were investigated in this research work. Sisal fibers were modified with alkali (NaOH), glutamic acid, and a combination of both alkali and glutamic acid. To analyze the effect of chemical modification on the properties of sisal fibers, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were performed. It is observed from the experimental results that there is an improvement in the surface roughness, crystallinity, and thermal stability of chemically treated fibers in comparison to untreated fibers. Microhardness properties of chemically treated sisal fiber reinforced epoxy composites (SFREC) also showed minor improvement. The dry sliding wear experiments were carried out according to Taguchi design of experiment (DOE) methods. The results of the wear test showed an increase in the wear resistance of chemically modified SFREC relative to untreated SFREC. The best wear properties were demonstrated by alkali treated SFREC. It is also observed from the findings of ANOVA that the applied load and sliding distance have the most defining effect on wear volume loss of SFREC.

摘要

研究了纤维表面处理对剑麻纤维及其环氧复合材料的结构, 热性能和摩擦学性能的影响. 用碱 (NaOH), 谷氨酸, 碱与谷氨酸复合改性剑麻纤维. 为了分析化学改性对剑麻纤维性能的影响, 采用扫描电镜 (SEM), 傅立叶变换红外光谱 (FTIR), X射线衍射 (XRD) 和热重分析 (TGA) 等方法对剑麻纤维进行了研究. 实验结果表明, 与未经化学处理的纤维相比, 化学处理的纤维表面粗糙度, 结晶度和热稳定性均有所提高. 经化学处理的剑麻纤维增强环氧复合材料 (SFREC) 的显微硬度性能也略有提高. 采用田口试验设计 (DOE) 方法进行了干滑动磨损试验. 磨损试验结果表明, 化学改性剑麻纤维增强环氧复合材料的耐磨性比未经处理的剑麻纤维增强环氧复合材料有所提高. 碱处理剑麻纤维增强环氧复合材料的磨损性能最好. ANOVA的研究结果还表明, 外加载荷和滑动距离对剑麻纤维增强环氧复合材料的磨损体积损失影响最大.

关键词:

• 剑麻纤维
• 环氧复合材料
• 化学改性
• 显微硬度
• 显微硬度
• 田口DOE
• 干滑动磨损

KEYWORDS:

• Sisal fiber
• epoxy composite
• chemical modification
• microhardness
• Taguchi DOE
• dry sliding wear

Acknowledgments

Authors genuinely acknowledge the technical assistance provided by the Research progress evaluation committee, Indian institute of technology (BHU) Varanasi for performing this research work.