Study of Carbon Matrix Composite as Wear-Resistant Plate Material on Improving Wear Resistance and Mixing Effect in Mixing Process

Silica and carbon black are the most important reinforcing systems in rubber formula. In the process of continuous optimization of the formula, silica gradually replaces carbon black by its characteristics. In view of the wear problem of the components of the mixer chamber caused by the increase in the proportion of silica in the formula, this research applied carbon matrix composite (CMC) materials to wear-resistant plate materials, and compared them with common wear-resistant (CWR) plate materials to explore the impact of replacing CWR plate with CMC on improving wear resistance and mixing effect. The results showed that compared with the CWR plate, CMC wear-resistant plate showed characteristics of a high friction coefficient and low wear rate (reduced by about 23%) in the mixing process of silica compound. However, the friction behavior of carbon black compound and carbon matrix composite wear-resistant plate showed an opposite trend, where the friction coefficient and wear rate increased simultaneously, especially the wear rate that increased by about 35%. The main reasons for the experimental results were related to the characteristics, elemental composition and surface morphology of carbon matrix composite, silica and carbon black. The experimental results also indicated that the carbon matrix composite wear-resistant plate is more suitable for a silica mixing process, and the increasing friction coefficient with decreasing wear rate of wear-resistant plate can further improve the importance of effective friction in mixing and prolonging the service life of wear-resistant plate.