MECHANICAL AND TRIBOLOGICAL BEHAVIOR OF POLYESTER REINFORCED WITH SHORT GLASS-FIBERS

The effect of the reinforcement of thermosetting polyester with short glass fibers has been investigated in terms of the resulting mechanical properties and tribological behavior. The optimum catalyst proportion for maximum strengthening was determined and the effect of coupling agent on both the mechanical and the tribological properties was investigated. The proportion by weight of fiber-glass used for the reinforcement of the polymer was varied from 0 to 50%. The friction and wear behavior was studied as a function of sliding speed and fiber-glass proportion. The possibility of oxidation of the unsaturated cross-linked polyester during sliding was examined by infrared spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the wear surfaces. The variation in wear rate was finally examined in terms of observations related to the variation in coefficient of friction, temperature rise, wear particle size and electron microscopy studies. © 1990.