The Tribological Behavior of Polyethylene Filled by Nanopowder of Aluminum Oxide

The present study investigates the abrasive wear of surfaces subjected to abrasive contaminants. Polyethylene (PE) filled with nanoparticles of aluminum oxide were used as coating for steel specimens. Their effect on wear of moving surfaces contaminated by sand is discussed. An abrasive wear tester was constructed to simulate the abrasion caused by sand against surfaces subjected to abrasive contaminants. Motion was transmitted to the disc via the drill chuck. The test time was 15 min. Experiments were carried out at 25 °C. The test specimens were immersed at a fixed depth in a pan full of sand. The specimens were coated with PE filled with aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and oil content. The wear was measured by digital balance with an accuracy of ± 0.01 g. Wear and embedment of sand particles were analyzed using optical microscopy after the test. Based on the experimental results, it was found that, the addition of aluminum oxide particles to PE enhanced the wear resistance and the hardness of the matrix. The increase of oil content decreased the wear. PE coating filled by aluminum oxide particles content and 10wt. % oil content showed zero wear.