A review on mechanical and wear properties of fiber-reinforced thermoset composites with ceramic and lubricating fillers

Abstract

The need for exploring the mechanical and wear behavior of thermoset polymers and their composites is found to be ever-increasing, owing to their usage in an enormous number of engineering applications. This article briefs recent studies and inferences drawn on mechanical and tribological (wear and friction) behavior and several other associated factors that govern the properties of polymer-based composites. In addition to primary reinforcements, a wide range of secondary fillers are being reinforced in polymers to enhance mechanical and wear performance. Glass, Carbon, and Kevlar are widely used primary reinforce- ments in polymers along with various secondary reinforcements like SiC, Si3N4, Al2O3, MoS2, WS2 TiO2, SiO2, ZrO2, MbO2, ZnS, CaCO3, CaO, MgCO3, Ta/NbC, MgO, TiC, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), graphite, and hexagonal boron nitride. A detailed review of research carried out by scientists to correlate the effect of secondary reinforcements on the mechanical and tribological performance of polymer composites is documented in the present article. The impact of the geometry of primary reinforcements along with varying particle size and volume fraction of secondary reinforcements is discussed in the present paper. Surface modification, which is considered as a substantial solution for delamination by many researchers, is discussed.