Tribological behavior of epoxy composites containing reactive SiC nanoparticles

The present article evaluated the sliding wear behaviors of epoxy and its composites filled with SiC nano-particles. Polyglycidyl methacrylate (PGMA) and a copolymer of glycidyl methacrylate and styrene were grafted onto the nanoparticles as a measure of surface pretreatment, respectively. The grafted polymers were selected because the epoxide groups on PGMA would take part in the curing reaction of epoxy resin and covalently connect the nanoparticles with the matrix, while styrene acted as a copolymerized monomer to adjust the amount of the reactive groups of the grafted macromolecular chains, and hence the compatibility between the grafted polymers and the matrix. In comparison to the composites filled with untreated nano-SiC particles, the composites with the grafted nano-SiC exhibit improved sliding wear resistance and reduced frictional coefficient owing to the chemical bonding at the filler/matrix interface. The results were analyzed in terms of structure-properties relationship of the composites. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.