Influence of Pressurized Water Aging on the Reciprocating Wear of Basalt-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites: COF, Wear-Track Profilometry, and Mass Change

<span class="fontstyle0">Basalt fiber–reinforced epoxy laminates were manufactured and tested to measure the impact of<br>pressurized water aging on reciprocating wear. Compressive loads were applied by eight plies of plainweave basalt fabric, cured in room conditions and post-cured for 60 °C. Aging was conducted in 25 ± 1 °C<br>and 10.0 ± 0.1 bar deionized water for 10, 20, or 30 days, and conditioning conducted for 23 ± 2 °C and 50<br>± 5 relative humidity. Unaged coupons were the reference. Reciprocating tests were conducted at 30 N, 2<br>Hz, and 50 m sliding distance, and surface topography of wear tracks was analyzed by laser profilometer<br>Nanovea PS-50. Pressurized immersion resulted in mass uptake plateauing early by 0.245 g at 10-day<br>corresponding to 4.22 percent and 0.230–0.227 g 20-day and 30-day corresponding to 3.91–3.81 percent.<br>Along the sliding track the coefficient of friction was ordered 30-day higher than 20-day higher than 10-<br>day higher than reference. Aging reduced running-in, increased steady-state plateaus, and increased<br>temporal variations. Profilometry demonstrated expanding and deepening of the band of wear, increased<br>pile-up, and evidence of matrix softening, interfacial failure, and fiber pull-out. Findings emphasize the<br>requirement of moisture-resistant interphases for BFRP components.</span> <br style="font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-size-adjust: auto;">