Fabrication and tribological behavior of MnO2/epoxy nanocomposites

Abstract

Tribology is the study of moving surfaces, and it has a variety of effects on our lives. From an economic point of view, wear is one of the most important aspects of an industry’s viability. Parts of the machine can wear out, and they need to be replaced. This is especially important for polymer-based materials. Therefore, it is important to reduce maintenance costs and improve machine reliability in a variety of engineering applications through proper material selection. The present investigation deals with the fabrication of manganese dioxide (MnO2)/epoxy nanocomposite and investigates its tribological properties. The MnO2/epoxy nanocomposites were fabricated via a solution mixing technique. The phase identification and surface morphology of the sample was examined by X-ray diffractometer and field emission scanning electron microscope, respectively. The mass density, micro-hardness, and specific wear rate data of samples revealed that the mass density, micro-hardness, and wear resistance of the samples increased with the addition of MnO2 in the epoxy matrix. The nanocomposite sample containing 0.5 wt. % MnO2 loading in the epoxy matrix shows higher density, micro-hardness, and wear resistance compared to other samples. The result also shows that with the addition of MnO2 in the epoxy matrix, the coefficient of friction of the samples is increased. The percentage reduction in specific wear rate due to the addition of 0.5 wt. % MnO2 in neat epoxy is 68.10%, whereas the percentage increase in the coefficient of friction is 19.30%. The results of the analysis of variance show the effect of adding wt. % of MnO2 in the epoxy matrix is significant in the tribological responses. The worn surface analysis shows that the fatigue wear mode seems to be the dominating mode of wear for all samples as compared to the other modes of wear. The properties of MnO2/epoxy nanocomposite data revealed that the developed material may be used in the automotive industry as a structural material, fabrication of snow sled, ball bearing housing, or plastic gear materials with adequate lubrication.