Dry Sliding Wear Behaviour of Epoxy/Biochar Composites

Traditional method of production of carbon black is very expensive. Recent focus of researchers worldwide is to produce carbon black from agricultural waste products and from some lignocellulosic biomass that is rich in organic materials. In this present study, carbon black is prepared from a biowaste material known as wood apple shell and utilised as reinforcement material in epoxy with filler loading of 5,10,15, and 20 weight percent. Carbon blacks were produced with different carbonisation temperature (400,600 and 800 celcius). Dry sliding wear behaviour of the developed composites was studied. The wear studies with different load and sliding velocities indicate that 10 weight percent of filler loading with carbon black produced with 800 celcius gives least material removal rate. Surface of wear out composites was studied with FESEM and the dominating wear mechanism was discussed.

Automated summary

In this study, carbon black was prepared from wood apple shell and used as reinforcement material in epoxy. The results showed that the composite with 10 weight percent filler loading of carbon black produced at 800 celcius had the lowest wear rate.