The Effect Of Dimple Size On The Tribological Performances Of A Laser Surface Textured Palm Kernel Activated Carbon-Epoxy Composite

• Main Authors: Mohmad, Martini, Abdollah, Mohd Fadzli, Tamaldin, Noreffendy, Amiruddin, Hilmi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Emerald Group Publishing Limited 2017
• Subjects: T Technology (General); TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
• Online Access: http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/20817/2/ilt_fadzli3.pdf; http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/20817/; https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/full/10.1108/ILT-05-2016-0121; https://doi.org/10.1108/ILT-05-2016-0121

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of dimple size on the tribological performances of laser surface-textured palm kernel-activated carbon-epoxy (PKAC-E) composite. Design/methodology/approach – A PKAC-E disc 74 mm in diameter was fabricated using the hot compression moulding technique. Five different types of surface contacts were prepared using a CO2 laser surface-texturing machine: a non-textured surface, and surfaces with dimples between 500 and 1,200 �m in diameter. The area density, contact ratio and depth were kept constant. A sliding test was carried out using a ball-on-disc tribometer under boundary lubricated conditions with constant sliding speed, sliding distance and applied load. Findings – In general, the results showed that the friction coefficient decreased with an increasing dimple diameter of surface-textured PKAC-E composite. However, the appropriate dimple diameter for maintaining low friction coefficient is proposed in the range of 800 to 1,000 �m. Originality/value – This is the first study, to the authors’ knowledge, to investigate the effects of dimple size, which is larger than 500 �m, on the tribological performances of laser surface-textured PKAC-E composite.