Tribological Behavior of Micronized Glass Fiber-Reinforced PP/PA6 Composites

This study experimentally investigates the tribological behavior of polypropylene/polyamide 6 (PP/PA6) blend composites reinforced with micronized glass fiber under dry sliding conditions. Different composite configurations were prepared to evaluate the influence of micronized glass fiber reinforcement on the friction and wear characteristics of the PP/PA6-based material system. The tribological performance of the produced specimens was examined using a pin-on-disc test configuration under different normal loads and sliding speeds. All tests were conducted under dry contact conditions over a constant sliding distance of 1000 m. During testing, the variation in the coefficient of friction as a function of sliding distance was continuously monitored, and the resulting frictional responses were comparatively evaluated for the applied operating conditions. Following the tribological tests, the wear tracks formed on the counterface surfaces were examined by optical microscopy, and the observed surface features were considered together with the friction behavior. In this way, the study focuses on identifying the tribological response of micronized glass fiber-reinforced PP/PA6 composites under varying contact conditions and assessing the role of the reinforcement in the development of friction and wear behavior. The findings provide an experimental basis for understanding the dry-sliding performance of thermoplastic blend composites containing micronized glass fiber and for comparing their tribological response under different operating conditions.