Influence of h-BN fillers on mechanical and tribological properties of PP/PA6 blend

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to improve the mechanical and tribological performance of polypropylene (PP) material. The influence of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) microparticles on mechanical and tribological properties of PP/polyamide 6 (nylon 6) (PA6) blend has been investigated in this paper. Design/methodology/approach Tensile strength, elongation, elastic modulus and Rockwell hardness were measured to identify the mechanical properties of materials. Coefficient of friction (COF) and wear rates of materials were measured with the help of a pin-on-disc tribometer to check the tribological behavior of blend and composite materials. Findings As a result, a small decrease in tensile strength and elongation and improvement in elastic modulus were found for PP/PA6 and PP/PA6/h-BN composite compared to pure PP. The wear rate of PP/PA6 blend and PP/PA6/h-BN composite was found low compared to pure PP matrix, while the COF of PP/PA6 blend was found slightly higher owing to the presence of harder PA6 matrix which was then improved by the h-BN filler reinforcement in PP/PA6/h-BN composite. The addition of PA6 in PP improved the wear rate of PP by 8–24%, whereas the addition of h-BN microparticles improved the wear rate by 22–50% and 24–44% compared to pure PP and PP/PA6 blend, respectively, in different parameters. Originality/value Modulus of elasticity and hardness of pure PP was enhanced by blending with PA6 and was further improved by h-BN fillers. The addition of PA6 in PP improved the wear rate, while h-BN fillers were found effective in reducing the COF by generating smooth thin lubricating film.