Wear Characterization of Phenol-Formaldehyde-Based Saguvani Wood-Polymer Composite-An ANOVA Approach

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Tribology
• Polymer Composites

Background:

• Phenol-formaldehyde (PF) composites reinforced with natural fibers are gaining traction for their sustainable properties.
• Wear resistance is a critical performance metric for polymer composites used in various applications.
• Chemically treated saguvani wood and coconut shell powder offer potential as cost-effective reinforcement and filler materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the wear behavior of PF-based wood-polymer composites containing chemically treated saguvani wood and coconut shell powder under dry sliding conditions.
• To optimize the composite formulation and processing parameters for enhanced wear resistance.
• To identify the most significant factors affecting wear loss using the Taguchi method.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of PF-based wood-polymer composites with 10% chemically treated saguvani wood particles and coconut shell powder.
• Uniform mixing of reinforcement materials with PF resin using a rotary-drum-type blender.
• Analysis of wear loss using the Taguchi method, considering sliding speed, load, and sliding distance as control parameters.

Main Results:

• The composite C1 exhibited the minimum wear loss among the tested specimens (C1, C2, C3).
• The inclusion of coconut shell powder as secondary particles was found to minimize the wearability of the composite.
• Sliding distance was identified as the most influential parameter affecting wear loss.

Conclusions:

• The Taguchi method effectively analyzed the wear behavior of the PF-based wood-polymer composite.
• Composite formulation C1 demonstrated superior wear resistance.
• Sliding distance is the primary factor governing wear loss in these composites, highlighting its importance in application design.