Author(s)

Bheemappa Suresha¹, Suryakanth L. Guggare², Naraganahalli V. Raghavendra¹

¹Department of Mechanical Engineering, The National Institute of Engineering, Mysore, India.
²Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nalla Malla Reddy Engineering College, Hyderabad, India.

Mechanical properties and abrasive wear behaviour of bi-directional jute fabric reinforced epoxy (J/Ep) with micron sized TiO₂ particles at different wt% (2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10) were investigated. The tribo-potential of combined effect of TiO₂ and jute fiber in epoxy (J/Ep) for enhancing the abrasion resistance has not been studied so far. Hence, the present work aims to explore the possibility of using TiO₂ filler and jute fiber to reinforce the epoxy and thus open a new way to implement inexpensive reinforcements and produce new candidate tribo-material for industrial applications. Silane treated TiO₂ filled J/Ep composites were prepared by hand lay-up method. Selected mechanical properties and three-body abrasive wear tests were evaluated as per ASTM standards. Results indicate an enhancement in the J/Ep composite mechanical properties due to addition of TiO₂ particles up to 7.5 wt% of loading. Highest tensile and flexural properties were found at 7.5 wt% TiO₂ loading. Results of abrasion tests show resistance to abrasion at 5 wt% TiO₂ filled J/Ep composite. Scanning electron micrographs evidenced that the fiber and filler have fairly good bonding with matrix. Finally, this investigation confirms the applicability of TiO₂ as secondary reinforcement in J/Ep composite.

TiO₂ Filled J/Ep, Mechanical Properties, Abrasion, Scanning Electron Microscopy

Suresha, B. , Guggare, S. and Raghavendra, N. (2016) Effect of TiO₂ Filler Loading on Physico-Mechanical Properties and Abrasion of Jute Fabric Reinforced Epoxy Composites. Materials Sciences and Applications, 7, 510-526. doi: 10.4236/msa.2016.79044.