Friction and Wear Properties of Epoxy Resin Filled with Layered Carbon Powders

Abstract

Friction and wear properties of epoxy resin (Epikote 828), which was cured with hexahydrophthalic anhydride and filled with layered carbon powders such as natural graphite (NG), manmade graphite (MG), and petroleum coke (PC) in the range of 0-85wt%, were investigated.Particles of the layered carbon powders were dispersed randomly in the composites. The surfaces of the composites were covered with 2-10μm layer of wear powders after testing friction and wear. When the particles oriented in perpendicular to the wear surface appeared, the layer of wear powders took off, producing a new layer. The pV value of the composites filled with NG and MG, which are flat and ellipsoidal in shape respectively, was higher than that of the matrix twice for the 30wt%, 4 times for the 50wt%, and 6 to 8 times for the 85wt%-filled materials.The friction coefficient (μ) of the composites decreased with an increase in content of the carbon powders. The specific wear rate (W) was independent of pV value and decreased with an increase in content of the carbon powders, but that of the materials filled with PC, which has small affinity for the matrix, was larger than that of the matrix. The μ value and, in particular, W value of the composites which were filled with NG treated with coupling agents were lower than those of the composites filled with untreated NG.