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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Advanced Composites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2020) | Viewed by 19275

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Prof. Dr. Sergey Panin

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Laboratory of Mechanics of Polymer Composite Materials, Institute of Strength Physics and Materials Science of Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, 634055 Tomsk, Russia
Interests: high performance polymers; multiscale design; polymer composites; wear resistance; interphase/interface; fatigue; polymer laminates; adhesion; computer aided design
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Dear Colleagues,

The relevance of studying polymer composites for tribological applications is highly stimulated by their complex non-linear mechanisms, as well as by a wide range of their industrial applications (automotive, medicine, aviation, chemical engineering, etc.). The urgency of these problems is also governed by the variety of wear mechanisms (fatigue, adhesive, abrasive, etc.); the complex effect of temperature/load factors; and the necessity to account for material structure and properties variation in the tribocontact zone, including the removal of wear debris and transfer film formation. Practical interest is also encouraged by the widening use of advanced engineering plastics (PEEK, PEI, PPS, etc.), fillers, and modifiers of various dimensions and compositions—increasing the possibility of resistance from multiple wears as a result of the loading of nanoparticles and nanofibers. Of particular relevance is the development of new techniques for polymer composites formation, including those of additive manufacturing. The purpose of this Special Issue is to discuss the new results obtained in the following topical research areas:

(i) Development of advanced wear models for polymer composites, and the verification of numerical simulation results versus the data of experimental studies;

(ii) Development of advanced composite materials with enhanced tribological properties with a comprehensive study of their structure and tribomechanical properties;

(iii) Construction of a generalized multi-level approach to the design of polymer composites, based on the solution of connected problems of structure formation and adaptive response under tribological loading.

Prof. Dr. Sergey Viktorovich Panin
Guest Editor

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Keywords

polymer composites
wear
materials design
multiscale simulation

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 9834 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Tribology of Polymer Blends PBT + PTFE

by Constantin Georgescu, Lorena Deleanu, Larisa Chiper Titire and Alina Cantaragiu Ceoromila

Materials 2021, 14(4), 997; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14040997 - 20 Feb 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2493

Abstract

This paper presents results on tribological characteristics for polymer blends made of polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). This blend is relatively new in research as PBT has restricted processability because of its processing temperature near the degradation one. Tests were done block-on-ring tribotester, in dry regime, the variables being the PTFE concentration (0%, 5%, 10% and 15% wt) and the sliding regime parameters (load: 1, 2.5 and 5 N, the sliding speed: 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 m/s, and the sliding distance: 2500, 5000 and 7500 m). Results are encouraging as PBT as neat polymer has very good tribological characteristics in terms of friction coefficient and wear rate. SEM investigation reveals a quite uniform dispersion of PTFE drops in the PBT matrix. Either considered a composite or a blend, the mixture PBT + 15% PTFE exhibits a very good tribological behavior, the resulting material gathering both stable and low friction coefficient and a linear wear rate lower than each component when tested under the same conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Composites for Tribological Applications)

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28 pages, 6537 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Taguchi Optimization of Parameters for Feedstock Fabrication and FDM Manufacturing of Wear-Resistant UHMWPE-Based Composites

by Yury V. Dontsov, Sergey V. Panin, Dmitry G. Buslovich and Filippo Berto

Materials 2020, 13(12), 2718; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13122718 - 15 Jun 2020

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3457

Abstract

It is believed that the structure and properties of parts fabricated by additive (i.e., non-stationary) manufacturing are slightly worse compared to hot pressing. To further proceed with improving the quality of Fused Deposition Modeling 3D-printed parts, the ‘UHMWPE + 17 wt.% HDPE-g-SMA + 12 wt.% PP’ composite feedstock fabrication parameters, by the twin-screw extruder compounding and 3D printing (the Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) process), were optimized using the Taguchi method. The optimization was carried out over the results of mechanical tests. The obtained results were interpreted in terms of (1) the uniformity of mixing of the polymer components upon compounding and (2) the homogeneity of the structure formed by the 3D printing. The values of the main factors (the processing parameters) were determined using the Taguchi method. Their application made it possible to improve the physical, mechanical, and tribological properties of the samples manufactured by the FDM method at the level of neat UHMWPE as well as the UHMWPE-based composites fabricated by compression sintering. A comparative analysis of the structure, as well as the mechanical and tribological properties of the composite obtained by the FDM method, and the hot pressing from ‘optimized’ feedstock was performed. The ‘UHMWPE + 17 wt.% HDPE-g-SMA + 12 wt.% PP’ composites fabricated by the optimal compounding and 3D printing parameters can be implemented for the additive manufacturing of complex shape products (including medical implants, transport, mining, and processing industries; in particular, in the Far North). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Composites for Tribological Applications)

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26 pages, 9542 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Effect of Adhesion on Mechanical and Tribological Properties of Glass Fiber Composites, Based on Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Powders with Various Initial Particle Sizes

by Sergey V. Panin, Lyudmila A. Kornienko, Qitao Huang, Dmitry G. Buslovich, Svetlana A. Bochkareva, Vladislav O. Alexenko, Iliya L. Panov and Filippo Berto

Materials 2020, 13(7), 1602; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13071602 - 1 Apr 2020

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 3463

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of adhesion between the non-polar, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) matrix and the glass fiber fillers of various lengths treated with the commercially available “KH-550” agent, on the mechanical and tribological properties of the UHMWPE-based composites. The motivation was to find the optimal compositions of the polymer composite, for the compression sintering manufacturing of lining plates for the protection of marine venders and construction vehicles, as well as transport equipment. It was shown that the initial powder size at equal molecular weight determined the distribution patterns of the glass fibers in the matrix, and, as a consequence, the mechanical and tribological properties of the composites. Based on the obtained experimental data and the results of the calculation by a developed computer algorithm, control parameters were determined to give practical recommendations (polymer powder size and glass fiber length), for the production of the UHMWPE-composites having specified mechanical and tribological characteristics. The “GUR4022 + 10% LGF” composite, loaded with the chopped 3 mm glass fibers treated with the “KH-550”, was recommended for severe operating conditions (high loads, including impact and abrasive wear). For mild operating conditions (including cases when the silane coupling agent could not be used), the “GUR2122 + 10% MGF” and “GUR2122 + 10% LGF” composites, based on the fine UHMWPE powder, were recommended. However, the cost and technological efficiency of the filler (flowability, dispersibility) and polymer powder processing should be taken into account, in addition to the specified mechanical and tribological properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Composites for Tribological Applications)

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15 pages, 9726 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preparation and Tribological Study of Graphene Coating on Glass Fiber-Reinforced Composite Using Modified Percolating-Assisted Resin Film Infusion Method

by Ben Wang, Wei Han, Yueke Ming, Xiaohui Zhang, Yansong Zhu, Yugang Duan, Hongxiao Wang and Hongying Zhao

Materials 2020, 13(4), 851; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13040851 - 13 Feb 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2334

Abstract

Tribological properties of glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites used in reciprocating contact should be improved to secure the efficiency and safety because of risks of abrasion, adhesion, and fatigue deficiency amidst fiber, matrix, or interphase. This paper investigates the influence of graphene reinforcement on the wear resistance of a GFRP composite. Graphene was integrated into a typical GFRP composite as the surface coating using a modified resin film infusion method with the percolating paper assisted. Dry reciprocating sliding tests were performed against a stainless steel ball moving in a direction 45 degrees to the fiber orientation. The morphology of the worn surface was observed, and the corresponding wear mechanisms are discussed. Results suggest that the prepared graphene coating improves the wear resistance of the GFRP composite. The protected GFRP laminates remained intact during the first 20 min of the wear test and only a small fraction of fibers were broken after 60 min test. Furthermore, abrasive debris and fiber breaks originating from composite were markedly reduced, likely owing to the formation of a protective transfer film between the surface of the modified composite and the rubbing counterpart. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Composites for Tribological Applications)

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22 pages, 80730 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Material Design Methodology for Optimized Wear-Resistant Thermoplastic–Matrix Composites Based on Polyetheretherketone and Polyphenylene Sulfide

by Sergey V. Panin, Boris A. Lyukshin, Svetlana A. Bochkareva, Lyudmila A. Kornienko, Duc Ahn Nguyen, Le Thi My Hiep, Iliya L. Panov and Nataliya Y. Grishaeva

Materials 2020, 13(3), 524; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13030524 - 22 Jan 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2732

Abstract

The main goal of this paper is to design and justify optimized compositions of thermoplastic–matrix wear-resistant composites based on polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS). Their mechanical and tribological properties have been specified in the form of bilateral and unilateral limits. For this purpose, a material design methodology has been developed. It has enabled to determine the optimal degrees of filling of the PEEK- and PPS-based composites with carbon microfibers and polytetrafluoroethylene particles. According to the results of tribological tests, the PEEK-based composites have been less damaged on the metal counterpart than the PPS-based samples having the same degree of filling. Most likely, this was due to more uniform permolecular structure and greater elasticity of the matrix. The described methodology is versatile and can be used to design various composites. Its implementation does not impose any limits on the specified properties of the material matrix or the reinforcing inclusions. The initial data on the operational characteristics can be obtained experimentally or numerically. The methodology enables to design the high-strength wear-resistant composites which are able to efficiently operate both in metal–polymer and ceramic–polymer friction units. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Composites for Tribological Applications)

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21 pages, 18787 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Increasing Wear Resistance of UHMWPE by Loading Enforcing Carbon Fibers: Effect of Irreversible and Elastic Deformation, Friction Heating, and Filler Size

by Sergey V. Panin, Lyudmila A. Kornienko, Vladislav O. Alexenko, Dmitry G. Buslovich, Svetlana A. Bochkareva and Boris A. Lyukshin

Materials 2020, 13(2), 338; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13020338 - 11 Jan 2020

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 3838

Abstract

The aim of the study was to develop a design methodology for the UltraHigh Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE)-based composites used in friction units. To achieve this, stress–strain analysis was done using computer simulation of the triboloading processes. In addition, the effects of carbon fiber size used as reinforcing fillers on formation of the subsurface layer structures at the tribological contacts as well as composite wear resistance were evaluated. A structural analysis of the friction surfaces and the subsurface layers of UHMWPE as well as the UHMWPE-based composites loaded with the carbon fibers of various (nano-, micro-, millimeter) sizes in a wide range of tribological loading conditions was performed. It was shown that, under the “moderate” tribological loading conditions (60 N, 0.3 m/s), the carbon nanofibers (with a loading degree up to 0.5 wt.%) were the most efficient filler. The latter acted as a solid lubricant. As a result, wear resistance increased by 2.7 times. Under the “heavy” test conditions (140 N, 0.5 m/s), the chopped carbon fibers with a length of 2 mm and the optimal loading degree of 10 wt.% were more efficient. The mechanism is underlined by perceiving the action of compressive and shear loads from the counterpart and protecting the tribological contact surface from intense wear. In doing so, wear resistance had doubled, and other mechanical properties had also improved. It was found that simultaneous loading of UHMWPE with Carbon Nano Fibers (CNF) as a solid lubricant and Long Carbon Fibers (LCF) as reinforcing carbon fibers, provided the prescribed mechanical and tribological properties in the entire investigated range of the “load–sliding speed” conditions of tribological loading. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Composites for Tribological Applications)

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