A Review on Tribological Behaviour of Natural Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites

Abstract

Abstract In the past, asbestos and copper were preferred as friction materials because they have good ability to dissipate heat, but have proven to be harmful to the environment. Recently, more researchers are focused on non-asbestos friction composite materials due to its non-toxicity and biodegradability. Despite synthetic fiber composites having eco-friendly nature, because of its cost and pollution most of the researchers show interest on natural fiber composites. Hence, there is a need to explore the analysis on the tribological behavior of composite materials. The availability of natural fibers and the ease of manufacturing have tempted researchers to study their feasibility of their application as reinforcement and the extent to which they satisfy the required specifications in tribological applications. Hence, the aim of this review is to demonstrate the tribological behavior of natural fiber reinforced composites and find knowledge about their usability for various applications that tribology plays a dominant role. This review presents the reported work on natural fiber reinforced composites with special reference to the type of fibers, matrix, polymers, treatment of fibers and test parameters to understand their usability for various automotive applications.