In this work, polypropylene (PP) and graphene nanoplatelet (GNPs) composites are routed through twin screw mixing and injection moulding. Two types of GNPs with a fixed size of 25 µm with surface areas ranging from 50–80 m2/g (H25, average thickness 15 nm) and 120–150 m2/g (M25, average thickness 6–8 nm) were blended with PP at loading rates of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 weight%. Mechanical properties such as tensile, flexural, and impact strengths and Young’s modulus (Ε) are determined. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and polarised light microscopy (PLM) techniques are used to understand the crystallisation, thermal, dynamic mechanical, and structural behaviour of the prepared composites. The improvement of mechanical strength is observed with GNP loading for both grades. Decreasing the GNP thickness decreases the impact strength and on the other hand improves the tensile and flexural strengths and Young’s modulus. Maximum tensile (≈33 MPa) and flexural (≈58.81 MPa) strength is found for the composite carrying 5 wt% M25. However, maximum impact strength (0.197 J) is found for PP-5 wt% H25. XRD analysis confirms GNPs have an induction effect on PP’s β phase crystal structure. The PP-GNP composite exhibits better thermal stability based on determining the TD (degradation temperature), T10 (temperature at 10% weight loss), T50 (temperature at 50% weight loss), and TR (temperature at residual weight). Enhancement in melt (Tm) and crystallisation temperatures (Tc) is are observed due to a heterogeneous nucleation effect. The FESEM analysis concludes that the GNP thickness has a significant effect on the degree of dispersion and agglomeration. The smaller the thickness, the better is the dispersion and the lower is the agglomeration. Overall, the use of thinner GNPs is more advantageous in improving the polymer properties.

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The present experimental work reveals the surface characteristics like wettability, thermal and sliding wear behaviour of plasma-sprayed red mud (RM) coatings premixed with fly ash (FA). Varying weight % of FA (10, 20, 30 and 40)-RM composite powder is used as precursor for coating. Atmospheric plasma-sprayed coatings are developed at different operating power like 5 kW, 10 kW, 15 kW and 20 kW separately on mild steel substrate. Tribological behaviour viz. sliding wear properties are studied at distinct operating load (10N, 15N, 20N, 25N), speed (40 rpm, 50 rpm, 60 rpm, 70 rpm) and track diameter of 100 mm using a pin on disc tribometer for duration of 30 minutes with 3 minute gap period for each experiment. The DSC and TGA experiments of the coatings are performed to understand the high temperature application areas. The contact angle result signifies the wettability of the prepared coatings is principally a function of composition. The reaction of surface roughness and spraying power is insignificant on water contact angle (WCA). In conclusion, the sliding wear experiments are optimized by Taguchi method to ascertain the influencing parameter on wear.