Mechanical properties and tribological performance of polyoxymethylene/short cellulose fiber composites

Natural fibers are promising bio-based materials to use as reinforcements in polymer composites as often more affordable and accessible alternatives to fossil-based fibers, especially because of their superior sustainability. Polyoxymethylene (POM) is a widely used engineering thermoplastic, which has a melting temperature suitable for processing with natural fibers. In this study, such composites consisting of POM and regenerated cellulose fibers have been developed and studied in terms of their mechanical, thermal, tribological and structural properties. Tensile and flexural moduli increased with incorporation of 30 wt% fibers up to 89% and 79% respectively, crystallinity increased as well by a maximum of approx. 11% at 30% fiber content. Furthermore, the specific wear rate was improved for the composite with 10 wt% fibers, showing a decrease of roughly 80%. This study investigates the processing parameters and tribo-mechanical performance of POM-based natural fiber composites as an important route towards future sustainable polymer composites in load bearing applications.