Petra Jan (Author), Sebastjan Matkovič (Author), Marko Bek (Author), Lidija Slemenik Perše (Author), Mitjan Kalin (Author)

Abstract

In this study we evaluated the tribological performance of polypropylene composites with wood-flour fillers obtained as a by-product from the wood-processing industry, which were based on unrecycled and recycled polypropylene polymer matrices. The mechanical properties of polypropylene-wood composites with wood-filler loadings of 0–40 wt % were determined with tensile tests and their friction and wear behaviours were studied with dry reciprocating ball-on-disc sliding tests against 100Cr6 steel balls at room temperature. The addition of the wood fillers resulted in a significant improvement in the tribological performance compared to the neat, unrecycled, and recycled polypropylene materials: the friction coefficient decreased by up to 30%, while the wear resistance was improved by up to two orders of magnitude. While neat unrecycled polymers have better properties than recycled, addition of 40 wt % wood-filler content in both, recycled and unrecycled composites, resulted in almost the same level of coefficient of friction (∼0.25) and wear coefficient (2 × 10$^{−6}$ mm$^3$/(Nm) to 3 × 10$^{−6}$ mm$^3$/(Nm)). Even with the addition of as low as 5 wt % of wood fibres the wear resistance was improved for 63% and 43% for unrecycled and recycled composites, respectively, which indicates that the use of wood fillers could be a sustainable and cost-effective way to improve the polymer tribological performance, and could compensate for the normally poorer properties of recycled materials, making the recycled polypropylene-wood composites a suitable sustainable choice for tribological applications.

Keywords

wear;polypropylene;bio composite;wood fillers;recycling;sustainability;

Data

Language: English
Year of publishing:
Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
Organization: UL FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
UDC: 539.92:678.742.3
COBISS: 150403331 Link will open in a new window
ISSN: 0043-1648
Views: 217
Downloads: 35
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Other data

Secondary language: Slovenian
Secondary keywords: obraba;polipropilen;bio kompoziti;lesna polnila;recikliranje;trajnost;
Type (COBISS): Article
Pages: str. 1-8
Issue: ǂVol. ǂ524/525
Chronology: July 2023
DOI: 10.1016/j.wear.2023.204826
ID: 18712107