Tribological Properties of Different Types of Graphene Nanoplatelets as Additives for the Epoxy Resin

The use of graphene nanoplatelets for several purposes such as barrier properties and structural health monitoring is widely studied in polymer-based coating technology. Nevertheless, their extremely good effect on wear resistance makes them particularly interesting for coating technology. The effect of graphene nanoplatelets addition on the wear behaviour of an epoxy resin was analysed. The effects of graphene nanoplatelets content (0-8 wt.%), morphology and functionalization in wear behaviour were analysed by evaluating the main wear parameters of the nanocomposites studied. The morphology of the wear surfaces was analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and 3D optical profilometry in order to evaluate the mechanism and severity of wear. The results showed that the wear behaviour of the epoxy resin improved considerably with the addition of graphene, especially for higher contents. Moreover, as the wear mechanism depends on the morphology of graphene nanoplatelets, it was concluded that the proper selection of graphene can be made depending on the chosen application.