Effects of functionalised reduced graphene oxide on frictional and wear properties of epoxy resin

The effects of octadecylamine functionalised reduced graphene oxide (FRGO) on the frictional and wear properties of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A epoxy are studied using pin on disc tribometry. The nanocomposites are prepared by adding 0.1, 0.2, 0.5 and 1.0 wt-% of FRGO to the epoxy. The addition of FRGO increases by more than an order of magnitude the sliding distance during which the dynamic friction is <= 0.1. After this distance, the friction sharply increases to the range of 0.4-0.5. We explain the increase in sliding distance during which the friction is low by formation of a transfer film from the nanocomposite to the pin. The wear rates in the low and high friction regimes are similar to 1.5 x 10(-4) and 5.5 x 10(-4) mm(3) N-1 m(-1) respectively. The nanocomposites exhibit a 79% increase in Young's modulus with 0.5 wt-% of FRGO, and an increase in glass transition and thermal degradation temperatures.