Studies on Erosive Wear Behavior of UHMWPE-Filled Aramid-Epoxy Hybrid Composites

The effect of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) on mechanical and solid particle erosive wear behavior of aramid fabric reinforced-epoxy (A-E) composites has been investigated. The UHMWPE-filled aramid fabric reinforced-epoxy composites have been fabricated with varying particle concentration from 0 to 4 wt% by using a vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) technique. The erosive wear rate was evaluated at different impingement angles from 30 degrees to 90 degrees and at three different velocities of viz., 20, 30, and 40 m/s, and at constant standoff distance. The silica sand of size 150-280 mu m was used as erodent. The results reveal that erosive wear rate of UHMWPE in aramid-epoxy composite exhibits lowest value as compared to unfilled A-E composites, and maximum erosion rate was observed at an impingement angle 60 degrees, and the material behaves in a semiductile manner. The morphologies of eroded surface were examined by the scanning electron microscope (SEM) in order to establish the erosion mechanism of the composites.