Impact and modeling of fiber orientation in hybrid polymer-based composites in sliding contact with steel on the cover of “Lubricants”
Investigations on samples with different fiber orientations conducted by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alois K. Schlarb's research group show that differences in the morphology of sliding bodies not only affect mechanical properties but also have a significant impact on tribological behavior, which is rarely taken into account in the development of plastic-based hybrid composites today. Based on tribological measurements with orthotropic samples and a clear fiber orientation relative to the sliding direction, the research group proposes a model that can be used to predict the tribological properties of each fiber orientation in relation to the direction of stress. At the same time, it is shown that the material composition in the sliding body, in particular the presence of SiO2, can attenuate the influence of fiber orientation, i.e., make the material more directionally tolerant.
The Importance of Fiber Orientation for the Performance of High-Performance Polymer-Based Hybrid Materials in Sliding Contact with Steel
Alois K. Schlarb, Miaozi Huang, Yao Xu, Chi Hua, and Leyu Lin
Lubricants 2025, 13, 234
Link to cover page
Lubricants is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal on tribology published monthly online by MDPI. The selection of an article for presentation on the front page is a special honor and shows that the editors of the journal attach particular importance to the study.
Questions will be answered by:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alois K. Schlarb
RPTU in Kaiserslautern, Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering
Phone: 0631-205 5116
E-mail: alois.schlarb(at)mv.rptu.de