Synthetic wollastonite nanofiber for polybutylene terephthalate nanocomposite: Mechanical, thermal, tribological and flammability properties

Synthetic wollastonite nanofibers (SWN) were incorporated into polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) to study the effect of SWN content on mechanical, morphological, thermal, tribological and flammability properties. SWN led to an increment in tensile strength (6% at 1.0 phr) and Young's modulus (13% at 3.0 phr), due to its reinforcing effect and good interactions with the PBT matrix. Thermal analysis revealed an increase in crystallinity and thermal stability of the nanocomposites. Increase in wear resistance (73%) and anti-friction performance (29%) were achieved when SWN reinforced the wear specimens and promoted the building-up of back transfer film. Increasing SWN content significantly changed the wear mechanism from adhesive to abrasive wear. SWN improved the flame retardancy by reducing the peak of heat release rate by about 17% and the production of smoke and toxic gases by 23–36%. The present study showed that PBT/SWN nanocomposites have the potential for lightweight structural components in automotive industry.