Tribological performance of the graphene synthesized from fruit cover plastic waste and oil palm fiber using a CVD method

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to examine the friction and wear performance of the graphene synthesized from fruit cover plastic waste and oil palm fiber (OPF). Design/methodology/approach The graphene was synthesized by using a chemical vapor deposition method, where a copper sheet was used as the substrate. The dry sliding test was performed by using a micro ball-on-disc tribometer at various sliding speeds and applied loads. Findings The results show that both as-grown graphenes decrease the coefficient of friction significantly. Likewise, the wear rate is also lower at higher sliding speed and applied load. For this study, OPF is proposed as the best solid carbon source for synthesizing the graphene. Originality/value The main contribution of this study is opening a new perspective on the potentials of producing graphene from solid waste materials and its effect on the tribological performance. Peer review The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-11-2019-0486