Synergistic Effects of Wood Filler – Glass/Carbon Fibers on the Tribological Behavior of Polypropylene Hybrid Composites

In this study, the two-body wear performance of polypropylene composites reinforced with wood filler, short glass fibers, and short carbon fibers was evaluated using a pin-on-disk tribometer. Various experimental parameters such as load, sliding velocity, sliding distance, and grit size were varied. The composites were manufactured through a melt mixing process involving twin-screw extrusion and injection molding. The individual and combined effects of the short glass fibers, short carbon fibers, and wood filler on the wear behavior of these composites were assessed at room temperature. The results indicated that the hybrid composites, incorporating both fibers and fillers, exhibited reduced wear resistance in 2-BAW conditions compared to pure polypropylene, which demonstrated superior wear resistance. The study also revealed that hybridization did not enhance the abrasion wear resistance of the composites. Morphological analysis of the worn surfaces using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the failure mechanisms included microplowing, microcutting, fiber fracture, and fiber pull-out.