Tribological Investigation of Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites against 52100 Chrome Alloy Steel Based on ELECTRE Decision-Making Method

Abstract

Fibers play an important role when studying the tribological behavior of reinforced friction composites. The purpose of the current research is to develop a glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) recipe with improved tribological properties as well as to find the composites with the optimal tribological behavior. A ball-on-disc tribometer was used to perform dry sliding friction testing, the obtained results were then analyzed with the ELECTRE (ELimination Et Choix Traduisant la REalite-elimination and choice translating the reality) method based on a utility matrix having process parameters the applied load, sliding velocity, and weight percentage of the fiber content. The ELECTRE method was chosen to find the optimal tribological parameters, with respect to more performance criteria, because it is one of the best multiple criteria decision-making methods. The optimal combination of parameters for the multi-response characteristics of the investigated friction composite was at an applied load of 10 N, a sliding velocity of 0.1 ms−1 and a 54% weight fiber content. The results showed that the addition of glass fiber (GF) content did not considerably improve the tribological behavior of the friction composites. In addition, from the nano focus–optical 3D scanning electron microscopy, images of the friction, tested friction and wear composites, plate formation, fiber-matrix delamination, fiber pull-out, and matrix cracking and damage, various wear mechanisms were identified.