EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS ON TRIBOLOGICAL AND MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF CNTs/Al2O3/GNP REINFORCED EPOXY AND POLYAMIDE HYBRID NANOCOMPOSITES

In the present investigation, dry sliding tribological behavior and mechanical properties of pure epoxy, Polyamide 66, and their hybrid nanocomposites were systematically analyzed. The experimental investigation primarily focused on two critical aspects: firstly, the influence of contact pressure on the wear behavior under varying loading conditions, and secondly, the role of mechanical interlocking and adhesion between the polymer matrix and hybrid nanocomposites, enhancing the tensile properties. Nanocomposite formulations included multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), and alumina (Al2O3) as the reinforcement materials, each added at a weight fraction of 0.2 %. The study explored significant contributions of these nanofillers in terms of their functional properties and impact on tribological performance and load transfer mechanisms within the composite materials. It was observed that epoxy and Polyamide 66 reinforced with 0.2 % CNT/Al2O3 demonstrated superior wear resistance, particularly under conditions of high contact pressure. Additionally, both polymer matrices exhibited enhanced tensile strength and nanoindentation when reinforced with a combination of 0.2 % CNT/Al2O3. This research highlights the potential of carefully selected nanofillers in optimizing the mechanical and tribological performance of polymer-based composites, providing valuable insights required for future material design and application in various engineering fields.