Development of hybrid fiber reinforced functionally graded polymer composites for mechanical and wear analysis

The polymer materials are reinforced with various fiber/ particulate for enhancing the physical, mechanical, thermal and wear properties of the composite materials. The composites consist of both particulate and fiber for further improving the properties are of key interest to researchers. In addition to that, the composites are also fabricated in such as manner so as to exhibit varying behaviour from one surface to another. Using the particulate wastes generated in industries, the reduction in the cost of the composite material can be achieved. Hence, marble dust is employed as particulate filler in the fabrication of composites for enhancing the mechanical and tribological properties. In the present research work, glass fiber and the marble dust were used to fabricate the homogenous and functionally graded composites. The marble dust with variation in weight percentage (0 wt.%, 2 wt.%, 4 wt.% and 6 wt.%) along with the short glass fiber (5 wt.%) are used to fabricate homogeneous and graded polymer composite using gravity and vertical centrifugal casting with rotational speed of 1500 rpm. The developed graded samples depict substantial increase in the mechanical and tribological properties with the increase in percentage of marble dust as compared to the homogeneous samples.