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Lubricants
Special Issues
Tribology of Polymeric Composites
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Tribology of Polymeric Composites

A special issue of Lubricants (ISSN 2075-4442).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 809

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Harman Khare

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA 99258, USA
Interests: tribology; scanning probe microscopy; nanocomposites; surface science; nanomanufacturing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Mark Sidebottom

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA
Interests: tribology; polymers; surface characterization

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polymer composites are ubiquitous solid lubricants and extensively employed in harsh environments or those which otherwise preclude the use of conventional lubricants. The tribological performance of polymer composites depends upon a myriad of parameters, including the matrix–filler chemistry, filler size, shape, loading, dispersion, and properties of the ensuing filler–matrix interphase. Additionally, the friction and wear performance of several polymer composites exhibit acute sensitivity to environmental and thermal changes at the sliding interface. Despite the variations in their structure, properties and performance, nearly all polymer composites function by generating interfacial films that are chemically and mechanically modified, with the extent of this modification often determining the performance of the system. Although much is known about the structure–property relationships present in polymer systems, some of the mechanisms that determine their tribological performance remain unknown. Furthermore, polymer composites offer a viable choice of tribological material for novel applications in which their performance is either unknown or poorly understood.

This Special Issue highlights advances in the development and characterization of polymer composites, as well as advances in our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms that determine their performance. We welcome the submission of high-quality papers that present scientific research with an applied focus, or manuscripts that advance our basic scientific understanding of polymer composites across length scales. We anticipate this research to comprise experimental, theoretical and/or computational work, or a combination thereof; this will enable the predictive design of polymer composites for future technologies.

Dr. Harman Khare
Dr. Mark Sidebottom
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Lubricants is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • polymers
  • solid lubricants
  • macromolecules
  • composites
  • tribology

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 3839 KiB  
Article
Potassium Titanate Whisker/Graphene Multi-Dimensional Fillers to Improve the Wear Resistance of Poly(Ether Ether Ketone) Composite
by Zhengjia Ji, Mingliang Ji, Qiuchen Lv, Minggui Liang and Chao Xu
Lubricants 2025, 13(5), 211; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants13050211 - 11 May 2025
Viewed by 293
Abstract
To improve the tribological performance of poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK), a potassium titanate whisker/graphene multi-dimensional hybrid filler was proposed. Hybrid fillers with one-dimensional (1D) potassium titanate whiskers and two-dimensional (2D) graphene nanosheets in different ratios were fabricated using direct mixing and grafting methods. [...] Read more.
To improve the tribological performance of poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK), a potassium titanate whisker/graphene multi-dimensional hybrid filler was proposed. Hybrid fillers with one-dimensional (1D) potassium titanate whiskers and two-dimensional (2D) graphene nanosheets in different ratios were fabricated using direct mixing and grafting methods. The potassium titanate whiskers and graphene nanosheets are an excellent combination, as confirmed by SEM and FTIR. Furthermore, PEEK/hybrid filler composites with different mass percentages of fillers were prepared and investigated systematically. It was found that introducing multi-dimensional hybrid PTWs–GNPs (volume ratio 1:3) fillers led to the wear rate being as low as 3.214 × 10−6 mm3N−1m−1, reduced by 60% compared with pure PEEK. In addition, the wear mechanism of PEEK composites was also investigated. The results demonstrate the superior tribological properties of the PEEK composites with multi-dimensional hybrid PTWs–GNPs fillers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tribology of Polymeric Composites)
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14 pages, 3148 KiB  
Article
Mechanical, Water Absorption, and Tribological Behavior of Polymer Composites: Role of Pineapple Leaf Fiber Orientation
by Nitish Kumar, Sudesh Singh, Abhishek Singh and Tianyi Han
Lubricants 2025, 13(4), 161; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants13040161 - 3 Apr 2025
Viewed by 386
Abstract
Natural fiber-reinforced composites have become an important field of research due to their environment-friendly nature, low cost, lightweight, and excellent mechanical properties. In the current study, natural composites were fabricated by the hand layup technique to investigate the influence of pineapple leaf fiber [...] Read more.
Natural fiber-reinforced composites have become an important field of research due to their environment-friendly nature, low cost, lightweight, and excellent mechanical properties. In the current study, natural composites were fabricated by the hand layup technique to investigate the influence of pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) orientation on the mechanical properties and water absorption behaviors of epoxy composites. Pineapple leaf fibers, known for their natural fiber reinforcement capabilities, were incorporated into polymer matrices at various orientations (45°, 60°, 75°, and 90°) to evaluate their impact on the composite’s performance. Mechanical properties (tensile strength, flexural strength, impact energy, and micro-hardness) were assessed to understand how fiber alignment influences the overall structural integrity of the composite. Additionally, the water absorption characteristics of the fabricated composites were assessed by immersing specimens in water and measuring water uptake over time. Results revealed that fiber orientation plays a crucial role in enhancing mechanical strength and tribological properties, with composites reinforced with fibers aligned at 90° demonstrating efficient load transfer and reduced water absorption. Conversely, composites with fibers oriented at 45° showed relatively lower mechanical strength, higher water absorption, and lower tribological performance. These findings suggest that the optimization of fiber orientation in polymer composites can lead to enhanced performance and durability, making them suitable for an extensive range of eco-friendly and sustainable applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tribology of Polymeric Composites)
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