Tribological properties of compatabilizer and graphene oxide-filled polypropylene nanocomposites

Effect of maleic-anhydride-grafted-polypropylene (PP-g-MA) and graphene oxide (GO) addition on the tribological properties of polypropylene (PP) nanocomposites were investigated in this study. Graphene oxides with different levels (0.05 and 0.15 wt%) were used as reinforcing filler for PP nanocomposites. Maleic-anhydride-grafted-polypropylene (3 wt%) was added as a compatibilizer agent to increase the interaction between the GO and PP matrix. GO-filled PP nanocomposites with and without PP-g-MA were produced by a twin-screw extruder followed by injection moulding. Wear tests were carried out under dry sliding conditions against AISI 1040 steel disc using a pin-on-disc device at 0.4–1.6 $$\hbox { m s}^-1$$ sliding speed and 10–40 N loads. The tribological test results showed that the coefficient of friction and wear rate of PP nanocomposites increased with applied loads and sliding speeds. The coefficient of friction decreased by 8.2, 14.2, 37.3 and 74.7% under $$1.2\hbox { m s}^-1$$ sliding speed and 40 N load with the addition of PP-g-MA and GO to the PP nanocomposites. The wear rate of PP and its nanocomposites was $$10^-13\hbox { m}²\hbox { N}^-1$$ . The minimum wear rate was obtained for 0.15 wt% GO and 3 wt% PP-g-MA-filled PP nanocomposites with a value of $$5.7537\hbox {E}^-14\hbox { m}²\hbox { N}^-1$$ at $$0.4\hbox {m s}^-1$$ sliding speed and 10 N load in this study.