[01] Mainak Sen, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India. [02] Pujan Sarkar, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India. [03] Nipu Modak, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India. [04] Prasanta Sahoo, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India.

An experimental investigation has been carried out on woven E-glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composite prepared through VARTM (vacuum assisted resin transfer moulding) process to study its tribological performance. Friction and wear tests are carried out using block-on-roller arrangement under dry sliding conditions. Tribological characteristics of GFRP composites are measured in two principal directions - parallel (PL) and anti-parallel (NL) orientations. The effects of various experimental test parameters such as applied load, sliding time and sliding speed are studied. The micrographs of the worn surfaces are observed by the help of scanning electron microscope (SEM) to know the wear mechanisms. Friction and wear results are observed to be influenced by all the selected test parameters. Wear and friction showed a tendency to increase with increase in time, load and sliding velocity, but at higher load and sliding velocity the matrix softening results in reversing the trend, by formation of transfer film on the counterface. The laminate orientation greatly influences the coefficient of friction and wear where PL shows larger wear and friction values than NL.

GFRP, Composite, Vacuum Moulding, Tribology

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