Conductive eco-polymer composites: wear behaviour of recycled polycarbonate/crushed rubber microparticles

Abstract

Following an eco-design approach we have investigated the possible formulation of conductive polymer composite (CPC) from recycled poly(carbonate) (PC) and crushed rubber microparticles (CR) for tribological applications. Particularly, the abrasive wear behaviour of CPC has been studied as a function of smooth surface treatments applied to rubber fillers to improve their adhesion with the PC matrix. The effects of normal load, sliding velocity and treatments applied to CR on the wear rate and kinetics were investigated. Pin-on-disc tests carried out under water lubrication show that the wear rate increases with the increase in load and sliding velocity. Moreover, among all surface treatments, the most effective to improve the interface quality and thus wear resistance was a stripping of rubber microparticles with methanol whereas flaming was assumed to degrade filler surface and dichloromethane to swell the matrix. Additionally wear experiments proved to be effective in evaluating the quality of PC/CR interface.