Tribology of fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites—A review

Abstract

The use of fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites (FRPCs) is in boom in many structural, industrial, automotive, and engineering applications. Polymer matrix composites have been turned out the most hopeful material which can replace the conventional materials, metals, and woods. Owing to this the demand for analyzing the tribological behavior of FRPCs is amplified. In the current article an inclusive literature survey on the tribological behavior of FRPCs in terms of friction and wear properties of composite materials is explored. The paper reviews the effects of different operating parameters and material parameters on wear rate and frictional behavior of FRPCs. The analysis reveals that operating parameters like sliding velocity, sliding distance, load, temperature and material parameters like a fiber volume fraction, orientation of fibers, fiber length, filler content, and effect of surface treatment have a significant effect on the tribological behavior of composite material. The wear rate of FRPCs is controlled by adding the proper amount of filler content and fiber orientation.