Influence of fiber content and applied load on the wear mechanisms of oil palm frond fiber/phenol-formaldehyde composites with functional fillers

Budi Istana; Indra Hasan; Kuntang Winangun

doi:10.58712/jerel.v4i3.198

Authors

Budi Istana Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Muhammadiyah Riau, Indonesia
Indra Hasan Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Muhammadiyah Riau, Indonesia
Kuntang Winangun Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universitas Muhammadiyah Ponorogo, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58712/jerel.v4i3.198

Keywords:

oil palm fronds, phenol formaldehyde, pin-on-disc tribometer, tribology, natural fiber composites

Abstract

The tribological behavior of oil palm fiber (OPF)-reinforced polymer composites was investigated with varying fiber contents (10, 20, and 30 wt.%) under different applied loads (20, 40, and 60 N) at a sliding speed of 2.5 m/s. Experimental results show that wear rate decreases significantly with increasing fiber content up to 20 wt.% at all loads, reaching minimum values of 1.2, 2.1, and 3.9 ×10^-4 mm³/Nm at 20, 40, and 60 N, respectively. Beyond 20 wt.%, wear rate increases, indicating fiber agglomeration and interfacial defects at higher loadings. A second-degree polynomial regression model was developed to predict wear rate as a function of fiber content and load. Model analysis and contour mapping identified an optimum wear resistance region centered at 20 wt.% fiber content and ~35–45 N load. The improved wear performance at this composition is attributed to enhanced fiber–matrix adhesion, improved stress transfer, and reduced microstructural discontinuities. These findings suggest that OPF composites with 20 wt.% reinforcement provide optimal wear resistance under moderate load conditions, making them promising candidates for tribological applications such as automotive and industrial components.

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