Title
Influence of polybenzimidazole nanofiller in pineapple fiber-based epoxy composites: tribological and optimization analyses
Authors
JAFREY DANIEL JAMES DHILIP, VIJAY RAGHUNATHAN, PANDIYAN G. KARTHIK, VINOD AYYAPPAN, SANJAY MAVINKERE RANGAPPA and SUCHART SIENGCHIN

Received November 7, 2024
Published Volume 59 Issue 9-10 October-December
Keywords abrasive wear, pineapple fiber, optimization, polybenzimidazole filler, tribology

Abstract
In the present work, the epoxy matrix was reinforced with pineapple fiber and polybenzimidazole (PBI) filler as secondary reinforcement. The composites were manufactured by the hand lay-up process. Wear characteristics were studied utilizing two-body abrasive wear tests. The input characteristics chosen for the study were: (i) polybenzimidazole content (wt%), (ii) load (N), and (iii) sliding distance (m). The resulting parameters assessed were: specific wear rate (SWR) and coefficient of friction (COF). A scanning electron microscope was utilized to study the worn surface of the abraded surfaces. The output of the experiments revealed that the addition of PBI filler to the pineapple fiber-based epoxy composite resulted in an increase in wear resistance. Finally, the output of the experiments was optimized by multi-criteria decision methods, such as Additive Ratio Assessment, Vise Kriterijumska Optimizacija Kompromisno Reseneje, and Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment methods.