Effect of Filler Loading on Tribology of Epoxy/Nanoclay Nanocomposites

Abstract

In this research, the effect of nanoclay concentration on the tribology of epoxy/nanoclay composites was carried out and précis thus. 0(control), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 9 and 10 wt percent of nanoclay particulates were used to fabricate nanoclay/epoxy composites using hand layout method. The wear properties of the composites were characterized using abrasion wear resistance testing machine manufactured by Taber Industries. ASTM D 958 was employed to study the tribology while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to study the distributions of nanoclay inside the composites. It was found that nanoclay/epoxy composites have an improvement on the wear resistant property of the composite when compared to control sample A. The results from the tribology of epoxy composites studied proved that composites E with nanoclay to epoxy composition of 4:96 wt % to be the overall best wear resistant materials with wear value of 2.94 % and improvement of 80 % recorded when compared to the control sample A with wear value of 20 %. SEM images show that the more the addition of nanoclay into the epoxy matrix, the better the wear resistant values of the composites until saturation point, which was found to be 4:96 wt % nanoclay to epoxy content. After the saturation, the wear resistant value begins to diminish due to poor interfacing between the matrix and the reinforcements (nanoclay). It concluded that the nanoclay particles in minute quantities are good reinforcement for epoxy materials.