Influence of T4 Heat Treatment on Tribological Behavior of Za27 Alloy Under Lubricated Sliding Condition

The effects of heat treatment on the microstructure, hardness, tensile properties, and tribological behavior of ZA27 alloy were examined. The alloys were prepared by conventional melting and casting route. The heat treatment of samples included the heating up to 370 °C for 3 or 5 h, quenching in water, and natural aging. Lubricated sliding wear test were conducted on as-cast and heat-treated ZA27 samples using block-on-disc machine. The friction and wear behavior of alloys were tested in contact with steel discs using combinations of three levels of load (10, 30, and 50 N) and three levels of linear sliding speeds (0.26, 0.50, and 1.00 m/s). To determine the wear mechanisms, the worn surfaces of the samples were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The heat treatment resulted in reduction in the hardness and tensile strength but increase in elongation. The heat-treated alloy samples attained improved tribological behavior over the as-cast ones, under all combinations of sliding speeds and contact loads. The rate of improvement increased with duration of solutionizing process before quenching in water. Obtained tribological results were related to the effects of heat treatment on microstructure changes of alloy.     

Effect of graphite and granite dust particulates as micro-fillers on tribological performance of Al 6061-T6 hybrid composites

Aluminium and its alloys have an ever growing demand in many industries such as aerospace, automotive due to their high strength to weight ratio and corrosion resistance. Our current work focuses on synthesis and tribological studies of precipitation hardened Al 6061–Gr_p–granite dust hybrid composites. Liquid stir casting technique is used for synthesis, precipitation hardening treatment imparted for maximising the hardness before subjecting to two-body sliding wear tests. The variation of wear for different levels of load, speed and composition along with SEM micrographs of the worn surfaces has been investigated. Hybrid combinations of granite dust (2 wt% and 4 wt%) with graphite (2 wt%) show higher tensile strength, hardness and significantly improved wear resistance as compared to the base alloy.     

Effect of static and dynamic ageing on wear and friction behavior of aluminum 6082 alloy

In the present investigation the effect of static and dynamic ageing on the wear and friction behavior of aluminum alloy (AA 6082) sliding against tool steel (TS) surface has been studied. The AA 6082 alloy samples used in the present study were in as-cast, solutionized and peak aged conditions. Scanning electron microscope analysis of the debris and worn surfaces revealed the role of precipitates on the dry sliding wear behavior. Frictional behavior varies significantly for all the conditions at elevated temperature (180 °C) compared to room temperature (40 °C). Such response was attributed to the dynamic precipitations during elevated temperature test.     

Tribological Behavior of Composites Based on ZA-27 Alloy Reinforced with Graphite Particles

The objective of this investigation is to assess the influence of graphite reinforcement on tribological behavior of ZA-27 alloy. The composite with 2 wt% of graphite particles was produced by the compocasting procedure. Tribological properties of unreinforced alloy and composite were studied, using block-on-disk tribometer, under dry and lubricated sliding conditions at different specific loads and sliding speeds. The worn surfaces of the samples were examined by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The obtained results revealed that ZA-27/graphite composite specimens exhibited significantly lower wear rate and coefficient of friction than the matrix alloy specimens in all the combinations of applied loads (F _n ) and sliding speeds (v) in dry and lubricated tests. The positive tribological effects of graphite reinforcement of ZA-27 in dry sliding tests were provided by the tribo-induced graphite film on the contact surface of composite. In test conditions, characterized by the small graphite content and modest sliding speeds and applied loads, nonuniform tribo-induced graphite films were formed leading to the increase of the friction coefficient and wear rate, with increase of the sliding speed and applied load. In conditions of lubricated sliding, the very fine graphite particles formed in the contact interface mix with the lubricating oil forming the emulsion with improved tribological characteristics. Smeared graphite decreased the negative influence of F _n on tribological response of composites, what is manifested by the mild regime of the boundary lubrication, as well as by realization of the mixed lubrication at lower values of the v/F _n ratio, with respect to the matrix alloy.     

Effects of reinforcements content and ageing durations on wear characteristics of Al (6061) based hybrid composites

This technical paper describes the abrasive wear rate of as-cast and heat-treated Al (6061) alloy reinforced with 9% by weight of SiC particulate and 0, 1, 3 and 5% by weight of E-glass fibre subjected to different ageing durations. The liquid melt technique route is used to produce the castings. Castings were machined to the ASTM standards and T6 heat-treatment process is carried out. All the specimens were artificially aged to different durations like 1, 3, 5 and 7 h at a temperature of 175 °C. Wear tests were performed on various composites in both the heat-treated and as-cast conditions using pin-on-disc machine. In each test the wear rates of the hybrid composites were found to decrease with increase in ageing durations. However, in both as-cast and heat-treated hybrid composites, the wear rate increased with increase in the sliding distance.     

Sliding wear behavior of mesocarbon microbeads based carbon materials

The sliding wear behavior of mesocarbon microbeads (MCMBs) based carbon materials was investigated. Samples were sintered at 1300 °C from pure MCMBs without ball-milling (C0) and ball-milled MCMBs doped with 3, 5, 10 wt.% nano-SiC (C3, C5 and C10). The results indicated that C0 sample had poor sliding wear property; ball-milling and doping nano-SiC contributed to the improvement of sliding wear property. The mean friction coefficient values of the C0–C10 samples against H62 brass alloy were 0.38, 0.24, 0.21, and 0.30, respectively. Mass loss increased with increasing sliding time, and C0 and C3 had the highest and lowest mass loss, respectively. The worn surface images showed C0 sample had broad wear tracks and was free from debris layer, while the worn surfaces of C3 and C5 were rather smooth because of the formation of adherent contact films without any significant fracture. These good sliding wear properties were related to small grains, uniform high hardness and large amount of aromatic layers along contact surface.     

Effect of microstructure on the sliding wear performance of a Zn–Al–Ni alloy

Some observations pertaining to the sliding wear characteristics of a zinc–aluminium alloy containing nickel under varying material and test conditions have been reported in this investigation.

Dry sliding wear tests were conducted on as-cast and heat-treated zinc-based alloy pins using a pin-on-disc machine. A steel disc was employed as the counterface. Sliding speeds adopted were 0.42, 2.68 and 4.60 m/s while the traversal distance was fixed at 500 m. Wear tests were conducted at different pressures using separate pins in each case. Seizure pressure of the pins (prior to traversing the sliding distance of 500 m) was determined at each speed.

Wear rate and the extent of frictional heating increased with pressure and speed whereas seizure pressure practically followed a reverse trend. The wear rate versus pressure plot of the as-cast alloy pins assumed two slopes at the lowest speed wherein low slope (indicating the occurrence of mild wear situation) was noticed initially. This was followed by the attainment of a higher slope suggesting severe wear condition at increased pressures. At higher speeds, one slope only (identical to the higher slope at the minimum speed) was noted. Wear rate versus pressure plots of the heat-treated alloy pins followed a trend similar to the as-cast ones except that two slopes were noted up to the intermediate speed in the former case.

Heat treatment changed the as-cast dendritic structure of the zinc-based alloy into the one with an improved uniformity of the distribution of various microconstituents, the nickel containing phase remaining practically unaffected. Softening of the (as-cast) alloy was also observed as a result of the heat treatment. However, in spite of reduced hardness, the heat-treated alloy pins attained improved wear behaviour (i.e. reduced frictional heating and low wear rate) over the as-cast ones irrespective of the test conditions. This was attributed to a more uniform distribution of microconstituents and reduced cracking tendency of the alloy as a result of the heat treatment. The alloy pins also attained better seizure pressure in heat-treated condition comparing with the as-cast ones at all the speeds except the maximum for the same reasons. A reversal in the trend at the maximum speed was thought to be due to the over-softening of the already softened (heat-treated) alloy pins under the influence of large frictional heat generated at the (maximum) speed. Under the circumstances, the heat-treated alloy pins tended to adhere/fuse with the disc extensively while this tendency was relatively less for the as-cast ones in view of their higher hardness. Further, the extent of the negative influence of cracking tendency reduced allowing thermal stability to predominate the wear behaviour of the as-cast alloy pins in this case. The factor led to somewhat higher seizure pressure of the (as-cast) alloy pins at the maximum speed comparing with the heat-treated ones.

Low wear rates correlated with less damage to the worn surfaces and to the regions below the worn surfaces and finer debris formation. Seizure led to severe damage to the worn surfaces and to the regions below the worn surfaces while the debris formed was quite bulky and coarser.     

Tribological properties of Ni-17.5Si-29.3Cr alloy at room and elevated temperatures

The tribological properties of Ni-17.5Si-29.3Cr alloy against Si₃N₄ were studied on a ball-on-disc tribotester between room temperature and 1000 °C. The effects of temperature on the tribological properties of the alloy were investigated. The worn surfaces of the alloy were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results indicated that the tribological behavior of the alloy expressed some differences with increase in testing temperature. At low and moderate temperatures (below 800 °C), the alloy showed excellent wear and oxidation resistances, and the wear rate of the alloy remained in the magnitude of 10^?5 mm³/Nm; but at elevated temperature (800–1000 °C), the wear and oxidation resistances decreased, and the wear rate of the alloy increased up to 10^?4 mm³/Nm. The friction coefficient decreased from 0.58 to 0.46 with the rising of testing temperature from 20 to 600 °C, and then remained nearly constant. The wear mechanism of the alloy was mainly fracture and delamination at low and moderate temperatures, and transformed to adhesive and oxidation at elevated temperatures.     

Effect of high power diode laser surface melting on wear resistance of magnesium alloys

In the present work, an attempt has been made to improve the surface hardness and wear properties of magnesium alloys AZ31 and AZ61 through solid solution hardening and refinement of microstructures using a 1.5 kW high power diode laser (HPDL) as a heat generating source. One millimetre thick uniform overlapping melt tracks were produced on Mg alloy samples. Laser-melted samples were subjected to a two-body abrasive wear test using a modified pin-on-disc set up. The hardness and wear resistance of laser-melted samples were found far better than the as-received Mg alloy substrates. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine microstructure of the laser-melted layers and the worn surface morphology. Fine microstructures were observed with an average grain size of less than 5 μm.     

Effect of tool pin design on the microstructural evolutions and tribological characteristics of friction stir processed structural steel

In this research, friction stir processing (FSP) technique is applied for the surface modification of ST14 structural steel. Tungsten carbide tools with cylindrical, conical, square and triangular pin designs are used for surface modification at rotational speed of 400 rpm, normal force of 5 KN and traverse speed of 100 mm min⁻¹. Mechanical and tribological properties of the processed surfaces including microhardness and wear characteristics are studied in detail. Furthermore, microstructural evolutions and worn surfaces are investigated by optical and scanning electron microscopes. Based on the achievements, all designed pins were successfully applicable for low carbon steel to produce defect-free processed material. By the microstructural changes within the stirred zone, the processed specimen is obtained higher mechanical properties. This is due to the formation of fine grains as the consequence of imposing intensive plastic deformation during FSP; however, this issue is highlighted by using square pin design. In this case, minimum grain size of 5 μm and maximum hardness of 320 VHN, as well as, maximum wear resistance are all examined for the specimen modified by square pin.     

Tribological behaviour of carbide-free bainitic steel under dry rolling/sliding conditions

The dry rolling/sliding wear behaviour of Si alloyed carbide free bainitic steel austempered at different temperatures and sliding distances has been evaluated. 60SiCr7 spring steel samples were austempered in a salt bath maintained at 250, 300 and 350 °C respectively for 1 h. Rolling with 5% sliding wear tests were performed using self mated discs for three different test cycles, namely 6000, 18,000 and 30,000 cycles. The aim was to study the wear performance of the 60SiCr7 steel with a carbide-free microstructure containing different amounts of retained austenite. An in-depth microstructural characterization has been carried out before and after the wear tests in order to link the wear behaviour to the microstructure of each sample. The wear resistance has been expressed by means of the specific wear calculated from the mass loss after the tests. The worn surfaces were analysed by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Microhardness profiles were also obtained in order to analyse strain-hardening effects beneath the contact surfaces. The results indicate that the material with highest hardness—the one austempered at 250 °C—exhibited the lowest wear rate in every case. It was also observed that the hardness increment and thickness of the hardened layer increases with increasing the austempering temperature and number of test cycles. Finally, the results appear to indicate that the initial roughness of the samples has no major effect in the wear rate of the samples above 2500 cycles. The higher wear performance of the sample austempered at 250 °C has been attributed to its superior mechanical properties provided by its finer microstructure. It has been evidenced that all samples undergo the TRIP phenomenon since, after wear; no retained austenite could be detected by XRD.     

Novel investigation on tribological properties of Ni–P–Ag–Al2O3 hybrid nanocomposite coatings

In this research, silver and alumina particles were co-deposited within Ni–P matrix to obtain Ni–P–Ag–Al₂O₃ hybrid coating. The structure of coatings was analyzed by X-ray diffraction and the tribological properties of deposits were evaluated by pin on disc tribometer. 3D optical profiler and scanning electron microscopy were used to study wear rate and worn surfaces. The results showed that Ni–P–Ag and Ni–P–Ag–Al₂O₃ coatings have the self-lubrication property and maximum hardness (∼1310 HV) and wear resistance were obtained for Ni–P–Al₂O₃ coating. Also, Ni–P–Ag–Al₂O₃ hybrid nanocomposite coating had higher wear resistance than Ni–P and Ni–P–Ag coatings. Moreover, the best conditions was achieved for heat treated hybrid coating in the concentration of 30 mg/L silver and 150 mg/L alumina in the plating solution.     

Wear and corrosion wear of medium carbon steel and 304 stainless steel

Wear and corrosive wear involve mechanical and chemical mechanisms and the combination of these mechanisms often results in significant mutual effects. In this paper, tribological behavior, X-ray peak broadening, and microstructure changes of carbon steel AISI 1045 and stainless steel AISI 304 samples under simultaneous wear and corrosion were investigated and the results were compared with those obtained from dry wear tests. 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution was used as the corrosion agent and a pin-on-disk tribometer was employed to perform wear and corrosive wear tests.X-ray diffraction measurements have shown that by increasing the applied load, the worn surfaces of carbon steel samples reached a constant strain at which fracture and wear occurred. Whereas in 304 stainless steel samples, by increasing the applied load, broadening of X-ray diffraction peaks was decreased.Wear tests of carbon steel and stainless steel samples have shown smaller weight losses and lower friction coefficient in the presence of corrosive environment. Study of worn surfaces suggested that depending on wear environment and applied load, different features of wear mechanisms were involved.     

Optimization of surface treatment to enhance fiber–matrix interface and performance of composites

Oxidation treatment with concentrated HNO₃ was employed to the carbon fabric (CF) for various time intervals (30–180 min) to observe the effect of treatment on two simultaneous processes involved viz. improvement in its adhesion with the matrix and reduction of fiber strength which in turn is responsible for change in the performance properties of composites. Seven composites with untreated and acid treated CF were developed based on the polyetherimide (PEI) matrix and evaluated for adhesive wear properties under various loads (200–600 N) against mild steel disc. 90 min treated CF composite indicated the best tribological properties and showed 30% reduction in specific wear rate (K₀) and 23% in coefficient of friction (μ) respectively at 600 N load. Treatment beyond this time proved detrimental for improvement in properties. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) showed increase in roughness with treatment time, while atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies indicated substantial increase in roughness value. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of worn surfaces supported the wear mechanisms and improvement in adhesion between fiber and matrix.     

The effect of air humidity on tribological behaviours of W–C:H coatings with different tungsten contents sliding against bearing steel

Friction and wear behaviors of W–C:H coatings with different tungsten contents sliding against bearing steel balls at different air humidities were investigated. The worn out surfaces of steel balls and coatings were analyzed with the aid of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy. A tribolayer composed of a graphite-like material mixed with tungsten and iron oxides was observed on the friction surfaces of the steel balls. The chemical and phase compositions of the tribolayer, which depend both on the tungsten content in coatings and air humidity, determine the tribological properties of the W–C:H coating in a frictional contact with bearing steel. At average air humidity (50%), those coatings that contain less than 10 at% of tungsten in a frictional contact with steel exhibit favorable tribological properties. The friction coefficient of frictional contacts under test reaches a low value (f～0.01) at a low air humidity and increases with humidity of up to ca. 0.2. The best tribological properties in a wide range of air humidity (5–90%) have been found for W–C:H coatings with the tungsten content between 2 and 5 at%.     

Tribo-layer and its role in dry sliding wear of Ti–6Al–4V alloy

Dry sliding wear tests were performed for Ti–6Al–4V alloy under a load of 50–250 N at 25–500 °C on a pin-on-disk elevated temperature tester. Worn surfaces and subsurfaces were thoroughly investigated for the morphology, composition and structure of tribo-layers. Ti–6Al–4V alloy could not be considered to possess poor wear resistance at all times, and presented a substantially higher wear resistance at 400–500 °C than at 25–200 °C. The tribo-layer, a mechanical mixing layer, was noticed to exist on worn surfaces under various conditions. High wear rate at 25–200 °C was ascribed to no protective tribo-layer containing no or trace tribo-oxides. As more oxides appeared in the tribo-layers, they presented an obviously protective role due to their high hardness, thus giving a reasonable explanation for high wear resistance of Ti–6Al–4V alloy at 400–500 °C.     

Wear Behavior of Composites Based on ZA-27 Alloy Reinforced by Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> Particles Under Dry Sliding Condition

In present study, the effect of Al₂O₃ particle reinforcement on the sliding behavior of ZA-27 alloy composites was investigated. The composites with 3, 5, and 10 wt% of Al₂O₃ particles were produced by the compocasting procedure. Tribological properties of unreinforced alloy and composite were studied, using block-on-disk tribometer under unlubricated sliding conditions at different specific loads and sliding speeds. The worn surfaces of samples were examined by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The test results revealed that those composite specimens exhibited significantly lower wear rate than the ZA-27 matrix alloy specimens in all combinations of applied loads and sliding speeds. The difference in the wear resistance of composite with respect to the matrix alloy, increased with the increase of the applied load/sliding speed and Al₂O₃ particle content. The highest degree of improvement of the ZA-27 alloy tribological behavior corresponded with change of the Al₂O₃ particles content from 3 to 5 wt%. At low sliding speed, moderate lower wear rate of the composites over that of the matrix alloy was noticed. This has been attributed to micro cracking tendency of the composites. Significantly reduced wear rate, experienced by the composite over that of the matrix alloy at the higher sliding speeds and loads, could be explained due to enhanced compatibility of matrix alloy with dispersoid phase and greater thermal stability of the composite in view of the presence of the dispersoid. Level of wear rate of tested ZA-27/Al₂O₃ samples pointed to the process of mild wear, which was primarily controlled by the formation and destruction of mechanical mixed layers (MMLs).     

Effects of Aging Treatments on the High-Temperature Wear Behavior of 60Nitinol Alloy

This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of heat treatments on the high-temperature wear behavior of 60Nitinol. The samples were hot-worked, aged at two temperatures of 400 and 700°C for 1 h and then water quenched. The microstructure of the alloys was investigated by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Sliding wear tests were performed at two temperatures of 25 and 200°C using three types of 60Nitinol disks: hot-worked, aged at 400°C, and aged at 700°C. All wear tests were performed at a speed of 0.3 m/s under a normal load of 60 N for a total sliding distance of 1,000 m using WC-Co pins sliding against 60Nitinol disks. The worn surfaces and microstructure of the subsurfaces were studied by scanning electron microscopy. Compression and hardness tests were also performed to characterize the mechanical properties of the alloys. The highest fracture strain and lowest hardness were obtained for the sample aged at 700°C that contained Ni₃Ti₂ precipitants. This sample also showed the maximum wear resistance at a wear testing temperature of 200°C. This was attributed to the formation of a more compact and stable tribological layer on the worn surface of the softer sample.     

Wear behavior of AA1060 reinforced with alumina under different loads

The wear behavior of samples of AA1060 aluminum matrix reinforced with 15 vol% of alumina particles in a range of loads between 4.9 and 91.2 N was determined using a pin-on-ring machine at a velocity of 2.7 m/s. The counterface was a carbon steel ring of 272 HB in hardness. Optical and electronic microscopy, X-ray energy analysis and hardness measurement were performed in order to characterize the worn samples. A mild wear mechanism is present for loads lower than 80 N and at larger loads the mechanisms change to a severe mode. In the mild wear regime a mechanically mixed layer (MML), with iron from the counterface and material of the composite, was formed. This MML was responsible of the wear resistance of the composite. Two mechanisms were observed as a way to increase the resistance of the MML; first hardening by mechanical alloying and strain hardening, and then an increase in thickness. At a larger load the conditions produced large instabilities which prevented the formation of a protective mechanically mixed layer.     

Wear behavior of AISI D2 steel by enhanced ion nitriding with atomic attrition

An experimental study was performed to investigate the effect of atomic attrition on wear behavior of AISI D2 steel. Wear tests were conducted under three different loads (5, 10, and 20 N) and sliding speeds (100, 200, and 500 rpm), using ball-on-disk type tester and SiC ball. After wear test, the specimen nitrided with ion bombardment showed superior wear behavior. The enhanced hardness by ion bombardment could have a beneficial effect on increased wear resistance. In addition, a wider and more adhesive oxide layer formed on the worn surface of ion-bombarded specimen, because of the rougher structure on the surface by ion bombardment, could lead the surface to withstand wear for longer duration time, acting as a protective layer.