Influence of Re-adhesion on the Wear and Friction of Glass Fibre–Reinforced Polyester Composites

Abstract

Based on the well-known pin-on-disc test rig, a new test setup for online measuring of wear and friction behaviour of polymer matrix composites has been developed. In contrast to a traditional friction-and-wear test rig, a steel pin and composite disc are used for studying the influence of wear debris and fibre orientation. During sliding, a thin adhesive film is possibly formed on the wear track of a composite disc, consisting of wear debris that is squeezed under the steel pin and that finally smoothens onto the composite surface. By optical microscopy, it was observed that most of the debris particles originate from the edges of the wear track. The thin film deforms continuously, with large and dark wear particles observed at the edge of the wear track. A lower coefficient of friction is achieved when the particles are re-adhered to the mating surface. The film formation mechanism depends on the normal force, sliding velocity, and bulk composite structure: because pultruded composite profiles are presently used with a layered structure, a change in film properties is observed depending on the wear depth.

Keywords:

• Friction
• Polymer composites
• Re-adhesion
• Wear

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This work was financially supported by the BOF (special research fund) of Ghent University, Belgium. The authors acknowledge the assistance of W. Van Daele for the help taking SEM pictures and R. Desmet and C. Vermeulen for help with the technical development of the test rig, test samples, and constant advice.

Notes

Presented in part at the 28th Annual Meeting of the Adhension Society, Inc., in Mobile, Alabama, USA, 13–16 February 2005.