Tribological behavior of clay/epoxy composites

Abstract

<p> While the aim of composites is to replace metals in various applications, researchers are involved m improving not only the mechanical but also the electro-magnetic and thermal properties of polymeric composites. Also, it is known that filled polymeric composites show interesting properties especially when the fillers are nanosized. In such conditions it is expected that tribological and wear behavior of particulate composites to be changed. Samples of clay filled epoxy composites had been formed in order to investigate the influence of filler concentration and of thermal treatment over the frictional properties of composites. Thermo-mechanical, tribological and abrasive behavior was investigated using recommended methods. The focus was on identifying the influence of clay’s concentration. Some changes in composites properties may be noticed regarding the thermal, mechanical, wear and tribological properties. </p>