ABSTRACTIn the present experiments, friction coefficient and electrostatic charge of epoxy composites filled by nanoparticles of aluminium oxide (Al2O3) sliding against rubber were investigated to develop proper materials to be used as flooring materials of high friction coefficient and low electrostatic charge. The experimental results showed that, at dry sliding, Al2O3 nanoparticles addition into epoxy matrix decreased friction coefficient and voltage with increasing Al2O3 content. Voltage showed the maximum values for epoxy free of filling materials. At water wetted surfaces, slight decrease in friction coefficient was observed. Epoxy free of Al2O3 showed relatively lower voltage than that observed for dry sliding. As Al2O3 content increased voltage significantly increased. At detergent wetted surfaces, friction coefficient and voltage slightly increased with increasing Al2O3. In the presence of sand particles on the sliding surfaces, slight increase in friction coefficient was observed with increasing Al2O3. Values of friction coefficient indicated that sand particles action was dominating either by rolling between epoxy matrix and rubber surface or by embedment in the sliding surfaces. Voltage slightly increased with increasing Al2O3, where the voltage displayed relatively low values. At water contaminated by sand, friction coefficient and voltage increased with increasing Al2O3. For surface covered by detergent contaminated by sand, friction coefficient increased with increasing Al2O3, while voltage drastically decreased with increasing Al2O3. At oil lubricated surfaces, friction coefficient drastically decreased with increasing Al2O3 when sliding against rubber lubricated by oil. As the load increased, friction coefficient decreased. Voltage drastically decreased with increasing Al2O3. At oil/water emulsion, friction coefficient significantly increased while voltage decreased with increasing Al2O3. At oil contaminated by sand, friction coefficient significantly increased while voltage decreased with increasing Al2O3. At water/oil emulsion contaminated by sand, friction coefficient slightly increased, while voltage drastically decreased with increasing Al2O3.
Mayada et al. (Tue,) studied this question.