An investigation of the fretting behaviour of low friction coatings on steel

Three different low friction coatings on steel (electrolytically deposited cadmium, PTFE solid lubricant in epoxy resin and PTFE solid lubricant in polyimide resin) were studied in order to relate their fretting behaviour with mechanical properties. Particular importance was given to adhesion which was measured using a scratch test. Fretting tests were carried out on the steel substrate and on the coatings under the same conditions. The major parameters of the tribological system were identified and then quantified. The values of the parameters obtained for each coating were compared with the corresponding values for uncoated steel. The mechanical characteristics of the coatings and their fretting parameters were plotted using a polar diagram in order to give an overview of the fretting behaviour of each coating. Differences were noted and the corresponding parameters were identified. The influence of the adherence of the coating and of the fretting test load on the lifetime of the coating was determined.     

Prediction of the fretting fatigue resistance of various surface-modification layers on 1045 steel: the role of fretting maps

In this work, fretting maps of various surface modifications were established based on the friction logs of fretting experiments. The fretting fatigue resistance of the coatings was analyzed according to the features of the fretting maps of the coatings. The results showed clearly that fretting maps of materials are effective tools to predict the fretting fatigue properties of substrates and surface-modification coatings. It was also demonstrated that the fretting fatigue resistance of a 1045 steel substrate could be improved to different extents through surface modification. The fretting fatigue resistance of solid lubricating coatings was the best and the tendency for initiation and propagation of cracks in the substrate material could also be restrained by depositing hard coatings.     

An experimental investigation on composite fretting mode

An apparatus for composite fretting tests on a steel ball opposite to the inclined steel flat with different inclined angles (60° and 45°) have been carried out. During the tests, the maximum imposed loads were varied from 200 N to 400 N and 800 N at a constant loading speed of 12 mm/min. Dynamic analysis in combination with microscopic examinations through optical microscopy, profilometery, and SEM have been performed. Composite fretting behaviour has been analyzed and compared with the conventional fretting.     

Mechanical and experimental investigation on nuclear fuel fretting

A mechanical approach to the nuclear fuel fretting problem is studied in this paper to find a possible and efficient way of a wear restraint. Two different contours of the spacer grid spring and dimple were developed to increase the contact area. Fretting wear experiments were carried out for the developed springs and tube specimens. Contact forces of 10 and 30 N, and slip displacements of 50–100 μm were applied under the environment of air as well as water at room temperature. Wear scars on the rods were examined to observe the effect of the mechanical approach on the wear. Especially, the influence of a contour deviation which occurred during fabrication and the wear particle accumulation in the clearance region were investigated in detail. It was found that the contact shape influenced the feature and the behavior of the length, width and volumetric shape of the wear. For the model of fuel fretting wear, equivalent depth (D_e) is suggested as a new parameter that can represent the wear severity.     

An investigation of fretting behaviour of several synthetic base oils

The chemical and physical properties are quite different for mineral oil and synthetic oil. Compared to the investigation of mineral oil, less work on fretting behaviour of synthetic oils was reported. In this paper, a study of typical synthetic base oils such as polyalkylene glycol (PAG), polyalphaolefin (PAO) and silicone oil has been conducted. The contact consisted of a fixed flat specimen (GCr15 steel and 45 steel) opposite to a moving ball specimen (GCr15 steel) with a diameter of 12.3 mm. Other main parameters were as follows: the slip amplitude was ranged from 5 to 80 μm, the frequency was varied from 2 to 5 Hz; the normal load, temperature and relative humidity were respectively 100 N, 23 °C and 60%. Variations in the tangential force versus the displacement as a function of the fretting cycles were recorded. For comparison, fretting tests under dry condition have also been performed. The fretting scars were examined after tests. The evolution of coefficient of friction and wear volume were analyzed and compared at different fretting regimes for different synthetic base oils. The competitions between oil penetration into the interface and self-cleaning by fretting in different fretting regimes, the effect of physical properties such as surface tension, pressure–viscosity coefficient and compressibility on fretting behaviour have been particularly discussed.     

The effect of grain flow orientation on the fretting fatigue characteristics of forged AMS6415 steel

The effect of grain flow orientation on the fretting fatigue response of AMS6415 steel specimens in contact with fretting pads of the same material obtained from a shaft-propeller flange forging was investigated statistically. Coupon specimens were machined from one forging. The specimens were obtained at two different orientations (radial and tangential) with respect to the forging axis. S-N (maximum stress versus the number of stress cycles to complete fracture) fretting fatigue tests were performed with a randomized paired comparison test matrix. The nominal maximum fatigue stress was +400 MPa, with an R ratio of +0.05, and the nominal normal contact pressure was ?40 MPa.Resultant test data were studied statistically. Student t tests, analysis of variance tests and Weibull analyses were performed. Test results suggested strongly, but not conclusively, with 90% confidence, that fretting fatigue lives of tangential specimens had a larger mean and a greater variance than those of the radial specimens. Metallographic and fractographic observations also were performed and are presented in this paper.     

Influence of temperature on the fretting response between AISI 301 stainless steel and AISI 52100 steel

Fretting of AISI 301 stainless steel sheet in contact with AISI 52100 steel from 20 °C to 550 °C in air and argon has been studied. Transitions in the mechanical properties of 301SS and oxidative behavior of this pair have been identified as a function of temperature. Strength and ductility of 301SS is reduced from 20 °C to 250 °C, increasing susceptibility to fretting damage. Steady state friction decreases as temperature increases, reducing cyclic stresses. Wear resistance increases in this temperature range, increasing fatigue damage due to the increase in fatigue life associated with increased wear. This study aims to identify the causes of the transitions in behavior and determine the net outcome of the competing effects with regard to fatigue damage.     

Subsurface damage development during fretting fatigue of high strength steel

The results of fretting fatigue experiments performed on two high-strength structural steels, PH 13-8 Mo stainless steel and quenched and tempered 4340 steel, are evaluated. Observations regarding the subsurface deformation and cracking behavior of the steels are compared and contrasted. It was found that the fretting stresses influenced early crack growth to a greater depth in PH 13-8 Mo stainless steel than in 4340 steel. In addition, experiments on PH 13-8 Mo led to the development of a region below the fretting scar that underwent a microstructural transformation, while experiments on 4340 steel did not. Likely reasons for this discrepancy are suggested. Differences in the formation of oxide layers and the occurrence of adhesion between the two materials are also discussed.     

The fretting wear of mild steel from room temperature to 200°C

This paper investigates in detail the fretting wear behaviour of mild steel from room temperature to 200°C. Contact resistance measurements and the scanning electron microscope have been used to interpret the wear mechanism in relation to the observed progress of different wear scar parameters. The fretting apparatus used was specially constructed for elevated temperature work, the wear area concentrated in the form of an annulus. It is found that in the fretting of mild steel, there is an initial stage of adhesion followed by a conditioning period before adhesion zones undergo deterioration and dispersal to form eventual oxide debris. The different stages in this mechanism are dealt with in detail. It is found that with mild steel the fretting damage decreases with increase of temperature in the range considered and reaches a constant value at 200°C, the transition temperature. The possibility of abrasive wear as an influencing factor in fretting is also examined but microfatigue is found to be by far the more important process during the steady state.     

An experimental study torsional fretting behaviors of LZ50 steel

Four simple fretting modes are defined according to relative motion: tangential, radial, rotational, and torsional fretting. This paper presents a new test rig that was developed from a low-speed reciprocating rotary system to show torsional fretting wear under ball-on-flat contact. Torsional fretting behavior was investigated for LZ50 steel flats against AISI52100 steel balls under various angular displacement amplitudes and normal loads. The friction torques and dissipation energy were analyzed in detail. Two types of T–θ curves in the shape of quasi-parallelograms and ellipticals were found that correspond to gross and partial slips, respectively. The experimental results showed that the dynamic behavior and damage processes depend strongly on the normal loads, angular displacement amplitudes, and cycles. In this paper, the debris and oxidation behaviors and detachment of particles in partial and gross slip regimes are also discussed. Debris and oxidation are shown to have important roles during the torsional fretting processes. The wear mechanism of torsional fretting was a combination of abrasive and oxidative wear and delamination before third-body bed formation. The mechanism was then transformed into third-body wear after a great amount of debris formed.     

The influence of experimental conditions on the wear of the metal surface during fretting of steel on polycarbonate

The effects of experimental conditions on the amount of wear of the metal surface during fretting of steel on polycarbonate in laboratory air have been studied within the following limits: amplitude 2–20 μm, frequency 10–120 Hz and normal load 130–830 g. The influence of water vapour on the wear has also been investigated.The polycarbonate induces fretting damage of the steel, with α-Fe₂O₃ particles being transferred from the steel to the polymer surface. After an incubation period during which wear does not take place a running in period occurs during which the rate of wear decreases with the number of cycles, followed by a steady state period, during which the rate of wear remains fairly constant. The length of the incubation period generally increases with decreasing amplitude of slip and with increasing frequency of vibration, while the amount of subsequent wear generally increases with increasing amplitude of slip, with decreasing frequency of vibration and with decreasing applied load within the range studied. It is found that water vapour content has the most significant effect on the amount of wear. In moist oxygen, moist argon and moist nitrogen (relative humidity about 85%) the amount of wear is greater than in laboratory air (relative humidity about 50%), while in dry gases virtually no wear of the metal is observed.     

The influence of polymer composition on the wear of the metal surface during fretting of steel on polymer

The effects of the nature of the polymer on the amount of metal wear during fretting of steel on polymers in laboratory air have been studied under a range of loads (130–330 g), amplitudes (3–10 μm) and frequencies (30–60 Hz).A number of polymers can cause damage to the metal, which takes the form of adhesive transfer of α-Fe₂O₃ particles to the polymer surface. The amount of metal wear depends on the polymer counterface and, under a given set of experimental conditions, increases in the order polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and polyethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE), polysulphone, Polyvinylchloride (PVC), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate, nylon 66. No metal wear occurs when the counterface is PTFE and only occurs with polyethylene when the amplitude is greater than 7 μm. These differences are explained in terms of the adhesive properties of the polymers, as determined by their surface energetics. Wear of the polymer during fretting takes the form of fibre formation for polysulphone, PVC, polycarbonate, nylon 66 and, to a small extent, polyethylene, while it takes the form of a transfer of a polymer film to the metal for PTFE and PVDF. No polymer wear occurs for PCTFE or PMMA.     

Effect of contact load on fretting fatigue behaviour of steel wires

Abstract

The tension–tension fretting fatigue tests of steel wires were performed on a self-made fretting fatigue test equipment under contact loads ranging from 40 to 70 N and a strain ratio of 0·8. The results showed that when the contact load increased, the fretting regime of steel wires transformed from gross slip regime to mixed fretting regime. The fretting fatigue life in the mixed fretting regime was significantly lower than that in the gross slip regime. The main fretting wear mechanisms in the gross slip regime, where there were serious fretting damage and a lot of wear debris, were abrasive wear and fatigue wear. Microcracks were observed in the fretting scar of the mixed fretting regime, and the main fretting wear mechanisms were adhesive and fatigue wears. The fretting wear scar was the fatigue source region, and the fatigue fracture surface could be divided into three regions.     

Effect of contact pressure on fretting fatigue of austenitic stainless steel

The effect of contact pressure on fretting fatigue in solution-treated austenitic stainless steel was studied. With an increase in contact pressure, fretting fatigue life was almost unchanged at low contact pressures, however it decreased drastically at high contact pressures. At low contact pressures, stress concentration due to fretting damage occurred at the middle portion of the fretted area and the main crack responsible for failure was initiated there. At high contact pressures, concavity was formed at the fretted area without accompanying heavy wear. The main crack was initiated at the outer edge corner of the concavity which probably acted as a notch. Plain fatigue prior to the fretting fatigue test increased the fretting fatigue life at high contact pressures since the concavity formation was suppressed by the cyclic strain hardening.     

The fatigue endurance limit of a high strength CrNi steel in a fretting dominated regime

In many assemblies of moving components, contact problems under various lubrication conditions are lifetime-limiting. There, relative motion of contacting bodies, combined with high loads transmitted via the contact surface lead to fretting fatigue failure. For a reliable prediction of in service performance load type, different damage and failure mechanisms that may be activated during operation have to be known.In this contribution selected results of a currently conducted research project are presented. The aim of this study was to examine the material behavior of a surface stressed steel. The influence of the fretting regime on fatigue properties has been investigated.     

The fretting wear-resistant properties of steel with ion-sulphuration+shop-peening and shot-peening+ion-sulphuration duplex treatments

The fretting wear-resistant properties of ion-sulphuration+shot-peening and shot-peening+ion-sulphuration duplex-treated coatings on 1045 steel substrate were investigated. The results show that the fretting wear-resistance of shot-peening+ion-sulphuration coating was better than that of the ion-sulphuration+shot-peening coating. The fretting wear process of the duplex-treated coatings in the gross slip regime could be described as the sulphuration coatings playing an important lubricating role in the incubation period. Then a series of changes took place continuously and alternatively on the contact surfaces, including adhesion, material transfer, oxidation, delamination of the oxide layer and degradation. In the last stage, the trapping, pulverization and elimination of debris restrained the adhesion between the contact surfaces and led to a decrease in the friction coefficient.     

An investigation of fretting behaviour of several metallic materials under grease lubrication

Fretting wear tests under grease lubrication have been carried out on an aluminium alloy, 52100 steel and low-alloy steel. The sphere–flat contact configuration is used. The influence of the displacement amplitude and normal load is investigated. Comparison between dry and lubricated contact of aluminium alloy, between 52100/52100 steel and 52100/low-alloy steel contact with grease lubrication has been carried out. Results show that grease lubrication strongly affects fretting behaviour. Base oil that separated from the grease during friction may result in accelerated contact wear by fretting.     

Experimental investigation on sliding and fretting wear of steam generator tube materials

In nuclear power steam generators, high flow rates can induce vibration of the tubes resulting in fretting wear damage due to contacts between the tubes and their supports. In this paper, the sliding and fretting wear tests were performed using Inconel 600HTMA and 690TT against STS 304, which are the steam generator tube materials. The sliding wear tests with a pin-on-disk type tribometer were carried out under various applied loads and sliding speeds at air environment. The fretting wear tests were carried out under various vibrating amplitudes and applied normal loads.

The result of sliding and fretting wear tests show that the heat-treated Inconel 690TT has better wear resistance than Inconel 600HTMA in air. The fretting wear regimes were plotted using the test results and the wear coefficient was calculated also. From the results, it was observed that the wear and tear by stick-slip has very strong effect on the fretting wear behavior.     

The fretting behaviour of mild steel with diffusion coatings prepared from nickel and Ni-Co alloy electrodeposits

Diffusion coatings were prepared on mild steel fretting fatigue specimens. The coatings were produced by electroplating the specimens with nickel or Ni-Co alloy electrodeposits. The specimens were then heat treated at 970 °C for between 8 and 50 h to produce interdiffusion.Fretting fatigue tests of the resulting specimens show that the diffusion coatings improved the fretting fatigue properties by up to 60% compared with uncoated specimens.