Effects of Water Environment on the Tribological Properties of Glass Fiber‐Reinforced Nylon Matrix Composite: Comparison With Neat Nylon

ABSTRACT Ball‐on‐disc tribological tests were conducted on glass fiber‐reinforced nylon composite and neat nylon after immersion in 40°C water for varying durations. By examining the effect of immersion duration on the mechanical and chemical properties of the composite as a whole and its constituent materials, the respective roles of each component in the evolution of wear resistance were elucidated. Building on this, the friction and wear mechanisms of nylon and its fiber‐reinforced composite under different conditions were clarified through analyzing the wear amount and worn surface morphology. The study revealed that the water absorption process for both nylon and its composite is a physical change with properties recoverable upon drying. Prolonged immersion duration softened the nylon (matrix), monotonically increasing wear. However, glass fibers reduced this detrimental effect. Furthermore, with extended immersion, the frictional coefficient of neat nylon is affected by both softening and adhesive wear, and increasing significantly after 14 days, even fluctuating within 0.2–0.4. In contrast, the frictional coefficient of the composite remains stable, entirely within the range of 0.1–0.2, primarily governed by the extent to which matrix softening influences the load‐bearing capacity of the fibers.