6
Contents
Preface ___________________________________________________ 3
Part One:
Literature review ___________________________________________ 9
1.
Transport __________________________________________________________ 10
1.1. Polyurethanes __________________________________________________________ 11
1.1.1 Chemical structure and synthesis of PUR __________________________________ 11
1.1.2 Properties of polyurethanes ____________________________________________ 15
1.1.3 Polyurethane elastomers _______________________________________________ 19
1.2. Production technology ___________________________________________________ 21
1.2.1 RIM - Reactive Injection Molding method _________________________________ 22
1.2.2 Manual potting_______________________________________________________ 24
2.
Composites ________________________________________________________ 25
2.1. Particulate- and fibrous composites ________________________________________ 30
2.1.1 Polyurethane composites reinforced with silica _____________________________ 31
2.1.2 PUR composites reinforced with nano-Al2O3 _______________________________ 35
2.1.3 Fly ash as a filler in polymers ____________________________________________ 39
2.1.4 PUR composites reinforced with fibres ____________________________________ 40
2.2. The tribological issue of polyurethane composites _____________________________ 42
2.3. Basic theories of material friction and wear __________________________________ 46
2.4. Friction drives in mining transport __________________________________________ 50
Part Two:
Experimental _____________________________________________ 52
3.
Research hypothesis _________________________________________________ 52
4.
Assumed tests ______________________________________________________ 52
5.
Description of methods _______________________________________________ 53
5.1. Computer simulations ___________________________________________________ 53
5.2. Microscopy ____________________________________________________________ 57
5.2.1 Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) _____________________________________ 57
5.2.2 Confocal Microscopy __________________________________________________ 59
5.3. Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) _______________________________ 59
5.4. Thermal analysis ________________________________________________________ 61
5.4.1 Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) ______________________________________ 62
5.4.2 Differential Scanning Calorimetry DSC ____________________________________ 62
5.4.3 Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) _______________________________________ 70
5.4.4 Derivative Thermogravimetry (DTG) ______________________________________ 71
5.4.5 Dynamic-Mechanical Analysis (DMA) _____________________________________ 72
5.4.6 Thermomechanical Analysis (TMA) _______________________________________ 76
5.5. Abrasion tests __________________________________________________________ 83
5.5.1 Dry sand test ________________________________________________________ 84
5.5.2 Pin-on-disc test ______________________________________________________ 86
5.5.3 Other wear tests _____________________________________________________ 87
5.6. Objective of the wear study _______________________________________________ 88
5.7. Impact strength _________________________________________________________ 94
7
6.1. Materials obtained in laboratory conditions __________________________________ 96
6.2. Materials obtained in the industrial conditions _______________________________ 102
7.
Test results ________________________________________________________ 107
7.1. Results of the computer simulations _______________________________________ 107
7.2. Results of FTIR test _____________________________________________________ 111
7.3. Results of the observations in SEM and EDS analysis ___________________________ 114
7.4. Summary of skeletal densities of composites ________________________________ 119
7.5. Results of DSC _________________________________________________________ 121
7.6. Results of TG/DSC ______________________________________________________ 127
7.7. Mechanical properties of the obtained composites ___________________________ 133
7.7.1 Results of dynamic-mechanical analysis DMA ______________________________ 134
7.7.2 Results of TMA ______________________________________________________ 148
7.7.3 Summary of hardness values ___________________________________________ 161
7.7.4 Tensile strength _____________________________________________________ 162 7.7.5 Compressive strength _________________________________________________ 168 7.7.6 Tribological properties ________________________________________________ 172 7.7.7 Impact strength ______________________________________________________ 187
