Tribological properties of epoxy/polyurea composite

Abstract

Abstract The tribological behavior of epoxy/polyurea composite under dry friction was investigated. The worn surface morphologies of epoxy and epoxy/polyurea composite have been analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the functional group of epoxy and epoxy/polyurea composite before and after wear have been analyzed by a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT‐IR). It has been found that epoxy terminal groups, which exist in an epoxy molecule, can react with the end group amine of the polyurea copolymer, generating more HO bonds, which enhances the deformation capacity. Polyurea particles are dispersed uniformly in epoxy matrix before wear, while plastic deformation and distorted domains occur on the worn surface of epoxy/polyurea composite. This indicates that the wear resistance of epoxy/polyurea composite was greatly improved by the addition of polyurea elastomer, which led to low frictional coefficients and wear mass losses. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.