Improvement of mechanical and wear resistance property by varying glass fiber contents and amino-silicate coupling agents on polyamide 612 composites

Among the polyamide series polymer materials, PA612 has excellent mechanical properties and low moisture absorption characteristics. This work studied the effect of coupling agent addition on the crystallization behavior, adhesive wear, mechanical, thermal, and morphological attributes of glass fiber (GF) reinforced PA612 composites. Amino-silane was applied as a coupling agent to enhance the interfacial adhesion between glass fiber and the PA612 matrix. The loading level of the coupling agent was changed to 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0wt%, while the GF loading level in the composite material was 10, 15, 20, and 30wt%. The composite materials were analyzed via X-ray diffraction, tribological characterization, and adhesion wear test. The mechanical, rheological, and thermal properties were also investigated. In addition, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis was used to study the analytical samples’ wear and fracture surfaces. Test results unveiled that adding 1.0wt% amino-silane coupling agent upgraded the fiber-matrix adhesion, mechanical properties (tensile strength:136 MPa), and corresponding wear resistance of GF reinforced PA612-based composites. Furthermore, it is compatible with pure PA612 substrates and has similar processing rheological behavior. These results reveal that the compiled PA612 matrix is highly viable for tribological applications comprising automotive parts, bearings, and bearing materials for space applications.