Effect of Wear Parameter on Wear Behavior of Recycled Polyethylene/Snail Shell Waste Particulate Bio-composites

The present work is a study on recycled polyethylene (RLDPE) composites containing snail shell particles. The snail shell particles of 125, 250, and 500 µm with a weight percentage of 0, 5, 10, and 15 (wt.%) in recycled polyethylene (RLDPE) were prepared. Unlubricated pin-on-disk tests were conducted to examine the wear behavior of the RLDPE and its composites. Wear tests were conducted at loads of 20, 30, and 40 N and sliding speeds of 1, 2, and 3 m/s for a constant time period of 20 min. Worn surfaces of the pins were then analyzed using scanning electron microscope to study the wear mechanisms and to correlate them with the wear test results. Results show that composites reinforced with 125 µm snail shell particles exhibit superior wear resistance than 500 µm snail shell particles. On the other hand, abrasive wear resistance decreased with increase in load and speed. Wear rate of composites decreased with increase in snail shell particles for all sizes.