Heat treatment effect on solid particle erosion properties of polyphenylene sulfide composites reinforced with silane coupled volcanic ash particles

In this study both heat treatment and silane coupling effects on solid particle erosion behavior of volcanic ash (VA) particles reinforced polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) composites were investigated. Firstly, samples with various concentrations of pristine VA (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 wt%) were subjected to solid particle erosion tests for determining the optimum pristine VA concentrations. Secondly, VA particles with optimum concentrations (10 and 15 wt%) were silane coupled with 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane (3‐APTS). At last, PPS composites with silane coupled VA particles at optimum concentrations were heat treated at 200°C for 2 hours. After erosion tests, all eroded VA/PPS composite surfaces were scanned with non‐contact 3D profilometer for roughness investigation. And also scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis was performed. It was reported that pure PPS and all kind of VA/PPS composites exhibited ductile erosion behavior. Erosion mass loss and roughness values were increased with the increase of pristine VA content significantly for the impingement angles of 15° and 30°. It was determined that silane coupling had negative effect on erosion properties but had positive effect on roughness properties. Heat treatment of silane coupled VA/PPS composites achieved half mass loss and roughness value of pristine VA/PPS composites. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:1638–1646, 2018. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers