ABSTRACT
Addition of nanosize reinforcements to polymer matrix is a recent approach to improve
the matrix strength and modulus and widen the application of polymers and their
composites for many structural applications. Polymer nanocomposites are new
specialty plastic compounds, which have reinforcement having at least one dimension
in the nanometre scale (10-9 m) in a polymer matrix. Many researchers have reported
the significant increase in the strength and modulus due to the addition of
nanoparticles. The tribo behaviour of an engineering material is another aspect that
needs to be understood clearly and decides the performance of many engineering
components such as gears, bearings etc. This paper describes the tribo behaviour of
polyamide base nanocomposites. The analytical model developed to predict the
coefficient of friction is also described.