Tribological and mechanical properties of Nomex fabric composites filled with polyfluo 150 wax and nano-SiO2

Nomex fabric composites filled with the particulates of polyfluo 150 wax (PFW) and nanoparticles of SiO2, respectively, were prepared by dip-coating of Nomex fabric in a phenolic resin containing particulates to be incorporated and the successive curing. The friction and wear behaviors of the pure and filled-Nornex fabric composites sliding against AISI-1045 steel in a pin-on-disk configuration were evaluated on a Xuanwu-III high temperature friction and wear tester. The structure of the composites, and the morphologies of the worn surfaces and of the counterpart steel pins were analyzed by means of scanning electron microscopy. The adhesion and tensile strength of the unfilled, PFW or nano-SiO2 filled Nomex fabric composites were evaluated with a DY35 universal material tester. The results showed that the addition of PFW and nano-Si02 significantly improved the wear resistance and decreased the friction coefficient, moreover the PFW as a filler is better than nano-SiO2. The improved tribological performance of filled-Nomex fabric composites when compared with the unfilled one, can be attributed to the self-properties of filler, such as the self-lubricative of PFW, the bonding strength between the Nomex fabric and the adhesive resin adopted with the different particles and the special characteristic of transfer film. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.