Tribological properties of carbon nanotube/polymer composites:A mini-review

Abstract

With the development of modern industry, the requirements for mechanical equipment are increasingly stringent, and increasing attention has been paid to reducing wear or lubrication in the movement of mechanical structural parts. Polymers are widely used in the field of mechanical structural parts due to their high processing performance and comprehensive performance. However, the relatively weak mechanical and tribological properties of polymers limit their further application in mechanical equipment lubrication. Incorporation of fillers is a common method to improve the friction properties of polymers. Among various fillers, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are considered the ideal fillers to significantly improve the tribological properties of polymers. Therefore, this paper reviews the tribological properties of carbon nanotube modified polymer materials. The tribological wear mechanism of polymers and the influence of friction-reducing fillers on the tribological properties of polymers and the related lubrication mechanism explanation are outlined, and the factors influencing the tribological properties of composites by carbon nanotubes and the related lubrication mechanism explanation are analyzed. The presented review will be beneficial for the production of high-performance polymer nanocomposites.

Recent advancements in the use of plastics as a carbon source for carbon nanotubes synthesis - A review

“…The outstanding stiffness, strength, thermal stability, and toughness properties of CNTs [ 153 , 154 ] have made CNTs applicable in advanced structural materials as reinforcement materials in polymer nanocomposites [ 144 , 155 ]. Borsodi et al [ 156 ] utilized CNTs produced from the gaseous products obtained from the pyrolysis of different plastics (PE, PP, PS, PA, PVC, and municipal plastics wastes) as reinforcement in the LDPE polymer matrix.…”

Tribological Properties of Blocky Composites with Carbon Nanotubes

“…However, excessive modification will destroy the graphite structure of CNTs and weaken their intrinsic mechanical properties. Therefore, optimization issues need to be considered for the modification methods and the degree of modification [62]. In addition, regarding the molding of polymer blend powders, there are freeze-drying, heat-drying [63], and conventional metallurgy [41], with different preparation methods having different characteristics.…”

Enhancing the Tribological Properties of Low-Density Polyethylene Using Hard Carbon Microfillers

“…Incorporating filler materials into polymer matrices is a widely employed strategy, renowned for its ability to improve both the cost-effectiveness and performance of composite materials. Notably, these particles or fillers have been shown to enhance various properties of polymers, including electrical, mechanical, and tribological characteristics [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]. In keeping with this approach, recently many researchers have explored a diverse array of inorganic and organic filler materials to bolster the mechanical and tribological characteristics of LDPE.…”