HDPE COMPOSITE WITH HYBRID REINFORCEMENT AS WEAR RESISTANT MATERIAL FOR 3D PRINTING

This work examines the influence of fused deposition modelling (FDM) and hybrid reinforcement with glassy carbon (GC) and nano alumina (n-Al₂O₃) on the wear behaviour of HDPE composites. The composites containing only n-Al₂O₃ showed the highest wear and unstable friction due to dominant abrasive mechanisms. The GC-filled HDPE exhibited reduced wear, associated with carbon transfer film formation. The hybrid GC/n-Al₂O₃ composite demon-strated a synergistic effect, combining surface hardening with self-lubrication, which markedly reduced wear and stabilized the coefficient of friction. Although the FDM-printed samples had higher wear rates than the compression-moulded ones, their coefficients of friction remained similar. The results highlight that hybrid reinforcement can effectively suppress abrasive wear and improve the tribological stability of FDM-processed HDPE composites.