Effect of Short Glass Fiber Content on Three-Body Abrasive Wear Behaviour of Polyurethane Composites

Fiber reinforced polymer composites are known to generally possess high strength and attractive wear resistance in dry sliding conditions involving adhesion transfer or fatigue. How such composites perform in abrasive wear situations needs a proper understanding. Hence, in this study, three-body abrasive wear behavior of short glass fiber (SGF) reinforced polyurethane (PU) composite is investigated. Three-body abrasive wear tests are conducted using rubber wheel abrasion tester (RWAT) at two different loads (i.e., 22 and 32 N) and increasing abrading distances (i.e., 150, 300, 450, and 600 m) respectively. The wear results of the SGF/PU composites indicate that the wear volume increased with increase in fiber content for both increased load/abrading distance. However, the specific wear rate decreases with increase in load. The abraded surface features of the composites are studied by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM).