Tribological and mechanical exploration of polymer-based hemp and colemanite composite as a friction material

Abstract

Natural and organic-based composite materials are widely used in many industrial applications due to their low cost, easy recyclability, economic feasibility, and ready availability. In this study, a polymer-based composite friction material consisting of Hemp-Colemanite composition (HCFCo) has been developed for the automotive sector to exhibit lower cost, environmentally friendly characteristics, and suitable friction-wear behaviors. For this purpose, three different ratios (%4, %8 and %12) of HCFCo composites were produced using a coating technique called impregnation process with a specially designed device. During the production stage, homogeneity of the composites was ensured, and then the final shape was given by the hot pressing method. Properties such as hardness, density, water and oil absorption, friction coefficient, and specific wear of HCFCo samples were examined. In addition, the microstructures of HCFCo composites were investigated to determine the bonding form between hemp fiber and colemanite. The results obtained revealed that the friction coefficient values decreased with an increase in temperature, while no significant change was observed in hardness and density values. Throughout the entire testing process, the friction coefficients varied between 0.14 and 0.29 on average. It was concluded that the developed fiber-reinforced composite can be reliably used in industrial applications and can contribute significantly to innovations in the literature.