Wear of Polyvinyl Chloride Filled by Nanoparticles of Aluminum Oxide

The wear of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) filled with inorganic nanoparticles was studied. Nanoparticles of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) were used as filling material in PVC coating. Steel specimens used as substrate coated by the tested composites and oil. The effect of the matrix on wear of surfaces subjected to abrasive contaminants is discussed. An abrasive wear tester was developed to simulate the abrasion caused by a sandy soil 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. 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, aluminum oxide particles as filling material in PVC coating enhanced the hardness and the wear resistance. The increase of the concentration of the oil caused a decrease in wear. Minimum wear illustrated in PVC with 9 wt. % aluminum oxide particles content and 10 wt. % oil content. Increasing of oil content enhanced the embedment of the sand particles.