Synergistic effects of ferro-chrome and E-glass fiber on the mechanical properties, and wear behavior of hybrid polymer composites

The present study aims to investigate the synergistic influence of ferro-chrome (Fe–Cr) slag and E-glass fiber on the mechanical properties and wear performance of hybrid polymer composites (HPMC). Composites were produced using the hand layup method with varying Fe−Cr slag contents (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 wt%), designated as PMC, HPMC−1, HPMC−2, HPMC−3, and HPMC−4. The aim was to assess the influence of these reinforcements on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and wear resistance of the composites. Mechanical testing, conducted per ASTM standards, included tensile, flexural, impact strength, and hardness evaluations. Dry sand abrasion tests were carried out under loads of 15, 25, and 35 N to determine wear behavior. Among the samples, HPMC−2 (10 wt% Fe−Cr slag) showed the best performance, with improvements of 11.4 % in hardness, 30 % in tensile strength, 18.7 % in flexural strength, and 35.8 % in impact strength compared to PMC. The wear rate at 35 N also decreased significantly, with HPMC−2 showing a 63.4 % reduction. These enhancements are attributed to the combined effect of slag particles and glass fibers acting as barriers to wear. The findings demonstrate that incorporating Fe−Cr slag offers a sustainable approach to improving the performance of polymer composites in structural and wear-critical applications.