Enhancing the Tribological Performance of Epoxy Composites With Glass Fiber Powder: Toward Sustainable Infrastructure Material

ABSTRACT The inherent limitations of epoxy composites in wear resistance pose significant challenges for their application in demanding tribological environments. Glass fiber powder (GFP), a by‐product from glass fiber reinforced composite manufacturing, exhibits great potential as a functional filler for developing high‐performance epoxy composites. In this work, the influence of GFP filler content and applied load on the tribological performance of epoxy composites was systematically evaluated. The optimal composite (5 wt.% GFP) demonstrated a stable friction coefficient and superior wear resistance. This is evidenced by reductions in wear rate of 95.9%, 73.3%, 71.1%, and 81.5% under loads of 35, 55, 75, and 95 N, respectively. Moreover, the GFP reinforced composites showed substantially narrower and shallower wear tracks, demonstrating enhanced surface integrity and wear resistance. The enhanced tensile, flexural, and shear properties further confirm the potential of GFP composites for structural applications. These findings highlight the potential of GFP as an effective, sustainable modifier for developing high‐performance epoxy composites suitable for demanding civil engineering applications.