Tribological Behavior of Natural Fiber-Reinforced Polymeric Composites

Abstract

Recently, natural fiber-reinforced polymer (NFRP) composites are used as a promising material in many structural and wear-based applications. Also, the NFRP is replacing the conventional materials due to their advantages such as higher strength, light in weight, nonconductive nature, maintenance-free, corrosion-resistance, to mention but a few. The present chapter mainly discusses the fundamentals and tribological behavior of polymeric matrix composites, whereby the natural fibers are used as reinforcements. Especially, mechanisms of wear for fiber and/or fiber-filled composites and the factors affecting the wear behavior, such as type, size, and shape of the fiber, fiber concentration, fiber length, fiber orientation, type of fabrics, fabric or fiber sequence, fiber, or fabric characteristics, and fiber matrix bonding are discussed using available literature. The potential applications and future prospects of the NFRP are also discussed. © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.