Development, characterization, and tribological behavior of polymeric carbon nitride/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene nanocomposites

Abstract This article examines the effect of the addition of nanosheets of polymeric carbon nitride (NPCN) on the frictional, mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) system. A series of ABS/NPCN nanocomposites were prepared by varying NPCN concentration using the solution casting and compression molding methods. NPCN were prepared from melamine by thermal treatment and characterized using UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction analysis were utilized to investigate the chemical and crystal structure of NPCN, ABS, and ABS/NPCN composites. The wettability of the composites was analyzed using contact angle studies. The incorporation of NPCN into the ABS matrix improved the thermal stability and tensile strength of the ABS/NPCN composites. The addition of NPCN increased the initial decomposition temperature and char yield of the composites. The frictional analysis results indicated that the presence of NPCN filler significantly influences the friction coefficient (decreased by 35%) and wear loss (reduced by 67%) of the nanocomposites.