Influence of graphite content on the dry sliding and oil impregnated sliding wear behavior of Al 2024–graphite composites produced by in situ powder metallurgy method

The influence of graphite content on the dry sliding and oil impregnated sliding wear characteristics of sintered aluminum 2024 alloy–graphite (Al/Gr) composite materials has been assessed using a pin-on-disc wear test. The composites with 5–20 wt.% flake graphite particles were processed by in situ powder metallurgy technique. For comparison, compacts of the base alloy were made under the same consolidation processing applied for Al/Gr composites. The hardness of the sintered materials was measured using Brinell hardness tester and their bending strength was measured by three-point bending tests. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze the debris, wear surfaces and fracture surfaces of samples. It was found that an increase in graphite content reduced the coefficient of friction for both dry and oil impregnated sliding, but this effect was more pronounced in dry sliding. Hardness and fracture toughness of composites decreased with increasing graphite content. In dry sliding, a marked transition from mild to severe wear was identified for the base alloy and composites. The transition load increased with graphite content due to the increased amount of released graphite detected on the wear surfaces. The wear rates for both dry and oil impregnated sliding were dependent upon graphite content in the alloy. In both cases, Al/Gr composites containing 5 wt.% graphite exhibited superior wear properties over the base alloy, whereas at higher graphite addition levels a complete reversal in the wear behavior was observed. The wear rate of the oil impregnated Al/Gr composites containing 10 wt.% or more graphite particles were higher than that of the base alloy. These observations were rationalized in terms of the graphite content in the Al/Gr composites which resulted in the variations of the mechanical properties together with formation and retention of the solid lubricating film on the dry and/or oil impregnated sliding surfaces.     

Synthesis of boride coatings on steel using plasma transferred arc (PTA) process and its wear performance

Boriding of the surface of a tool steel using boron powder and the plasma transferred arc process was investigated. It was shown that this method is an easy and effective technique in producing uniform alloyed layers with a thickness of about 1.5 mm and a hardness between 1000 and 1300 HV.The microstructure of the borided surfaces consists of primary Fe₂B-type borides and a eutectic mixture of borides and martensite. Some cracks are observed in the eutectic regions but they do not seem to critically affect the behaviour of the coatings in sliding wear.The wear rate of pin on disc tests is primarily affected by the applied load and it lies between 10⁻⁵ mm³/m for low loads and 10⁻² mm³/m for high loads. Two distinct regimes of mild and severe wear are obtained separated by a critical load. Mild wear is due to the load supporting effect of borides and severe wear is due to their breakage above a critical load. The wear rate is not significantly affected by the sliding velocity and is consistent with the friction coefficient.The friction coefficient varies from 0.13 to 0.23 and depends strongly on the oxidation status of the wear track. The sliding velocity affects the sliding distance where the coefficient of friction reaches equilibrium.     

Tribo-oxidation maps for Ti against steel

A fundamental study of wear transition regimes was carried out for a pin-on-disk sliding couple, involving titanium and steel. The sliding speed was varied from 0.38 to 1.5 m s⁻¹ and the normal load from 10 to 50 N. Wear mapping approaches have been undertaken to represent the transitions in wear modes and wear mechanisms regimes, as a function of applied normal loads and sliding speeds and for both pin and disc separately on the basis of experimental results. Dry sliding wear behaviour of steel was characterized by tribo-oxidative wear with high material transfer from the titanium. In contrast, adhesive wear was more prevalent for the titanium and oxidative wear mechanisms led to formation of non-protective films on the surface.     

Wear characteristics of Cr3C2–NiCr and WC–Co coatings deposited by LPG fueled HVOF

Wear behavior of the HVOF deposited Cr₃C₂–NiCr and WC–Co coatings on Fe-base steels were evaluated by the pin-on-disc mechanism. The constant normal load applied to the pin was 49 N and sliding distance was 4500 m with velocity of 1 m/s, at ambient temperature and humidity. The specific wear rate of WC–Co coating was 3 mm³/N m and Cr₃C₂–NiCr coating was 5.3 mm³/N m. SEM/EDAX and XRD techniques were used to analyze the worn out surface and wear debris. The Fe₂O₃ was identified as the major phase in the wear debris. The wear mechanism is mild adhesive wear in nature.     

Friction and wear characterization of sintered low alloyed chromium steels for structural components

Sintered and sintered/gas nitrided cylinders made of low alloyed chromium steel Astaloy CrL + 0.45 C at 7.25 g/cm³ density, have been tested for scuffing resistance and wear rate in a crossed cylinders test setup lubricated with a commercial SAE 10W40 engine oil at 90 °C. The results show large potential of 1 h gas nitriding of the sintered chromium steel cylinders. The nitrided cylinders experienced safe wear at 1000 MPa and scuffing at 1100 MPa at 2.5 m/s. At 0.5 and 0.1 m/s at least up to 800 MPa the wear was mild, as sintered chromium cylinders showed scuffing at pressure lower than 320 MPa and limited wear at 0.5 and 0.1 m/s.     

Wear behavior of Cu–La2O3 composite with or without electrical current

A new type Cu–La₂O₃ composite was fabricated by internal oxidation method using powder metallurgy. Sliding wear behavior of the Cu–La₂O₃ composites was studied by using a pin-on-disk wear tester under dry sliding conditions with or without electrical current, rubbing against GCr15 type bearing steel disk at a constant sliding speed of 20 m/s. The influence of varying applied load and electrical current was investigated. The worn surfaces were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) to determine the wear mechanisms. The results showed the Cu–La₂O₃ composites had an electrical conductivity of 81.9% IACS (International Annealed Copper Standard, 100% IACS = 58 MS/m) and a hardness of HV105. The wear rate of the Cu–La₂O₃ composite pins increased with the increase in the electrical current at high sliding speed. The main wear mechanisms of the Cu–La₂O₃ composites were found to be adhesive wear, abrasive wear and arc erosion.     

Effects of sliding velocity and normal load on friction and wear characteristics of multi-layered diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating prepared by reactive sputtering

Friction and wear tests were performed to investigate effects of sliding velocity and normal load on tribological characteristics of a multi-layered diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating for machine elements. The DLC coatings which consist of sequentially deposited gradient Cr/CrN, W-doped DLC (a-C:H:W) and DLC (a-C:H) layers were formed on carburized SCM 415 Cr–Mo steel disks using a reactive sputtering system. The tests against AISI 52100 steel balls were performed under various sliding velocities (0.0625, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 m/s) and normal loads (6.1, 20.7 and 49.0 N) in ambient air (relative humidity=26±2%, temperature=18±2 °C). Each test was conducted for 20 km sliding distance without lubricating oil. The results show that friction coefficients decrease with the increase in sliding velocity and normal load. Wear rates of both surfaces decrease with the increase in normal load. The increase in sliding velocity leads initially to the increase in wear rates up to the maximum value. Then, they decrease, as the sliding velocity increases above specific value that corresponds to the maximum wear rate. Through surface observation and analysis, it is confirmed that formation of transfer layers and graphitized degree of wear surfaces of DLC coatings mainly affect its tribological characteristics.     

Sliding/rolling wear performance of plasma nitrided H11 hot working steel

H11 steel discs were tested by considering sliding/rolling friction under dry and lubricated conditions. The H11 discs were plasma nitrided at 500 °C and 550 °C for 9 h. Wear tests were conducted at different slip ratios of 1.79%, 10.53% and 22.22%. The test loads were 100 N, 150 N and 200 N. It was determined that plasma-nitrided H11 discs had a surface hardness of 1200–1400 HV0.1. Plasma nitriding produced wear performance much higher than those of the un-nitrided but hardened samples. The wear mechanism of the plasma-nitrided discs was a mixture of adhesive wear, abrasive wear and plastic yielding.     

Friction and dry sliding wear behaviour of cermets

The friction and wear behaviour of cermets/steel rubbing pairs were investigated. Friction and wear tests were carried out using three different crèmets on the base of tungsten, titanium and chromium carbides under dry sliding conditions against steel disk (0.45% C). Sliding wear tests were carried out using modified block-on-ring equipment at a sliding speed of 2.2 m/s and normal load 40 N.It is shown that wear resistance and coefficient of friction depend on the type and chemical composition of the cermets. The WC–Co cermets have the highest wear resistance. The wear rate of WC–Co and TiC–NiMo cermets increased with increasing binder content in the cermets. The wear of Cr₃C₂–Ni cermets is more complicated and depends on the composition of cermets. The wear of WC–Co cermets is caused mainly by preferential removal of the cobalt binder, followed by fracture of the intergranular boundaries and fragmentation of the carbide grains. The main wear mechanism in the TiC–NiMo cermets is polishing (micro-abrasion) and adhesion, resulting in a low wear rate. The main wear mechanism of Cr₃C₂–Ni cermets involves thermal cracking and fatigue-related crushing of large carbide grains and carbide framework and also adhesion.     

On data dispersion in pin-on-disk wear tests

Ten pin-on-disk sliding wear tests for each experimental condition were carried out with a commercial tungsten carbide (WC) pin on silicon carbide (SiC) disks in order to determine the wear and friction data dispersion. The tests were repeated using two sliding speeds (v), 0.1 and 1.0 m/s, and two applied loads (P), 5 and 50 N. The wear data showed a dispersion in the range of 28–47 and 32–56%, for disk and pin, respectively. For the disk, the dispersion decreased when increasing both sliding speed and applied load; for the pin, no clear relationship was found. The friction values spread in the range of 5–15%, with a lower dispersion at high applied load, independent of the sliding speed. From a statistical point of view, it was found that, in all the experimental conditions adopted, about 20% of the wear and friction values can be considered outliers.     

Synergy between tribo-oxidation and strain rate response on governing the dry sliding wear behavior of titanium

The present work provides an insight into the dry sliding wear behavior of titanium based on synergy between tribo-oxidation and strain rate response. Pin-on-disc tribometer was used to characterize the friction and wear behavior of titanium pin in sliding contact with polycrystalline alumina disk under ambient and vacuum condition. The sliding speed was varied from 0.01 to 1.4 ms^?1, normal load was varied from 15.3 to 76 N and with a sliding distance of 1500 m. It was seen that dry sliding wear behavior of titanium was governed by combination of tribo-oxidation and strain rate response in near surface region of titanium. Strain rate response of titanium was recorded by conducting uni-axial compression tests at constant true strain rate of 100 s^?1 in the temperature range from 298 to 873 K. Coefficient of friction and wear rate were reduced with increased sliding speed from 0.01 to 1.0 ms^?1. This is attributed to the formation of in situ self lubricating oxide film (TiO) and reduction in the intensity of adiabatic shear band cracking in the near surface region. This trend was confirmed by performing series of dry sliding tests under vacuum condition of 2 × 10^?4 Torr. Characterization tools such as optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffractometer provided evidence of such processes. These experimental findings can be applied to enhance the dry sliding wear behavior of titanium with proper choice of operating conditions such as sliding speed, normal load, and environment.     

Evolution of wear,roughness, and friction of Alloy 600 superalloy surfaces in water-submersed sliding

Self-mated wear and friction of Alloy 600 superalloy was studied in a water-submersed ring-on-rod configuration, loading the side of a 6.35 mm diameter rod across the flat surface of a rotating annular ring of 100 mm outer diameter and 70 mm inner diameter producing two sliding contacts along the ring. Tests were conducted at sliding speeds of 0.178 and 0.330 m/s for sliding distances of 100 m. Normal loads of 51 and 204 N were applied, and initial R_a surface roughnesses of the rings along the sliding direction were either smooth (～0.2 μm) or rough (～7.5 μm). Increased initial ring roughness caused a ～20-fold increase in rod wear at the lighter load, whereas at the heavier load increased initial roughness only caused a ～4-fold increase in wear. At lower initial ring roughness the 4-fold decrease in normal load caused a large (one order-of-magnitude) decrease in rod wear, whereas for rings of higher initial roughness the 4-fold decrease in normal load caused only minor (2-fold or less) decreases in rod wear. Wear during this 100 m sliding distance only experienced a minor effect from the 1.8-fold change in sliding speed, as did friction. In all cases friction coefficient rapidly settled into the range 0.6–0.7, except in the cases of lower load on rings of lower initial roughness where friction coefficient remained above 1 for most of this sliding duration. At this lower load the initial ～0.2 μm rod roughnesses increased to nearly 0.8 μm by the 100 m sliding distance, whereas at the higher load this same sliding distance resulted in roughnesses returning near to the initial 0.2 μm. It was hypothesized more highly loaded cases also went through initial roughening prior to smoothening back to 0.2 μm roughness within the 100 m sliding distance, and given additional sliding the more lightly loaded cases would also experience subsequent smoothening. Increasing sliding distance to 400 m, roughnesses indicated a smoothening back to 0.2 μm level during those lightly loaded tests, with friction coefficient correspondingly dropping from 1 into the 0.6–0.7 range observed in all other cases. Extended sliding to 400 m at light loading against rings of lower initial roughness also allowed a rod wear rate which increased with increased sliding distance to be observed, approaching the same rate observed against initially rough rings within the 100 m sliding distance.     

Tribology characteristics of magnesium alloy AZ31B and its composites

In this paper, wear characteristics of magnesium alloy, AZ31B, and its nano-composites, AZ31B/nano-Al₂O_3, processed by the disintegrated melt deposition technique are investigated. The experiments were carried out using a pin-on-disk configuration against a steel disk counterface under different sliding speeds of 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10 m/s for 10 N normal load, and 1, 3 and 5 m/s for 30 N normal load. The worn samples and wear debris were then examined under a field emission scanning electron microscopy equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer to reveal its wear features. The wear test results show that the wear rates of the composites are gradually reduced over the sliding speed range for both normal loads. The composite wear rates are higher than that of the alloy at low speeds and lower when sliding speed further increased. The coefficient of friction results of both the alloy and composites are in the range of 0.25–0.45 and reaches minimums at 5 m/s under 10 N and 3 m/s under 30 N load. Microstructural characterization results established different dominant mechanisms at different sliding speeds, namely, abrasion, delamination, oxidation, adhesion and thermal softening and melting. An experimental wear map was then constructed.     

Studies on wear behavior of nano-intermetallic reinforced Al-base amorphous/nanocrystalline matrix in situ composite

Resistance to wear is an important factor in design and selection of structural components in relative motion against a mating surface. The present work deals with studies on fretting wear behavior of in situ nano-Al₃Ti reinforced Al–Ti–Si amorphous/nanocrystalline matrix composite, processed by high pressure (8 GPa) sintering at room temperature, 350, 400 or 450 °C. The wear experiments were carried out in gross slip fretting regime to investigate the performance of this composite against Al₂O₃ at ambient temperature (22–25 °C) and humidity (50–55%). The highest resistance to fretting wear has been observed in the composites sintered at 400 °C. The fretting wear involves oxidation of Al₃Ti particles in the composite. A continuous, smooth and protective tribolayer is formed on the worn surface of the composite sintered at 400 °C, while fragmentation and spallation leads to a rougher surface and greater wear in the composite sintered at 450 °C.     

Microstructure and wear behaviour of Ni-based surface coating on copper substrate

The Ni-based surface coatings were prepared by a vacuum infiltration casting technique on copper substrate. The surface coatings were fabricated through copper melt penetrating into thin preforms whose thickness could change. By optimizing the processing parameters, compact surface coatings were achievable as confirmed through SEM observation. The surface coating was mainly composed of solid solution of Ni, solid solution of Cu and CrB. The macro-hardness of the coating was about HRC 58, and the micro-hardness of the coating shows a gradient distribution. The average micro-hardness of the coating was about HV450. Wear behaviour was investigated by using block-on-ring dry sliding linear contact at several loads (50 N–300 N) and two different sliding speeds (0.424 m/s and 0.848 m/s). Wear rate and friction coefficient were estimated using a method founded upon the PV factor theory. The surface oxidation predominated as the principle wear mechanism at low load. Meanwhile, adhesion and oxidation mechanism were observed when the coatings were tested at higher load more than 200 N. Friction coefficient decreased with increasing load and sliding speed.     

Friction and wear of aluminium–steel contacts lubricated with ordered fluids-neutral and ionic liquid crystals as oil additives

Friction and wear of ASTM B211 aluminium–AISI 52100 steel contacts have been determined using pin-on-disk tests under variable conditions of normal applied load, sliding speed and temperature, in the presence of a lubricating base oil modified with a 1 wt.% proportion of three different liquid crystalline additives.The tribological behavior of the ionic liquid crystal n-dodecylammonium chloride (LC3) has been compared with that of two neutral liquid crystals: a non-polar species, 4,4′-dibutylazobenzene (LC1) which had previously shown its ability to lower friction and wear of metallic pairs as compared to the base oil, and a cholesterol derivative, cholesteryl linoleate (LC2).At low temperature and low sliding speed values, the friction coefficients obtained for LC1 are lower than those of LC3. As the severity of the contact conditions increases, this tendency reverses and the ionic species LC2 gives rise to lower friction values than LC1.Wear volume losses under increasing normal loads, between 2.45 and 5.89 N, are always lower in the presence of the ionic additive LC3.Lubrication and wear mechanisms are discussed from optical microscopy and SEM observation of the wear scars and wear debris morphology.     

Sliding wear resistance of reactive plasma sprayed Ti–TiN coatings

The reactive plasma spraying (RPS) of titanium powders in a nitrogen containing plasma gas produces thick coatings characterised by microdispersed titanium nitride phases in a titanium matrix. In this paper, the wear resistance properties of Ti–TiN coatings deposited on carbon steel substrates by means of RPS technique are studied. Wear tests were performed in block-on-ring configuration and dry sliding conditions, at different applied loads (45 and 100 N) and sliding velocities (in the range 0.4–2.0 m s⁻¹) by using hardened and stress relieved AISI O2 disks as counterpart. At low applied load the wear volumes are low, and tend to slightly increase as the sliding velocity increases. At high applied load and low sliding velocities the highest wear volumes for the coated samples are observed, due to adhesion in the contact area with the tool steel counterpart and decohesion of coating particles. As the sliding velocity is increased, the wear volume of the coated samples tends to decrease owing to oxidation phenomena.     

Friction and rolling–sliding wear of DC-pulsed plasma nitrided AISI 410 martensitic stainless steel

In the present work, industrial-scale DC-pulsed plasma nitriding for 20 h at 673 K was used to improve the wear resistance of an AISI 410 martensitic stainless steel. The tribological behaviour was studied and compared to the behaviour of the same steel in as-received condition.Pin-on-disc dry tests, using an alumina ball as counter-body, were carried out to determine the evolution of the friction coefficient. The wear resistance was investigated using an Amsler-disc-machine, employing a dry combined contact of rolling–sliding with three different applied loads. The wear mechanisms involved during rolling–sliding of unnitrided and plasma nitrided steels were investigated by microscopic observation of the surfaces, the corresponding cross-sections and the produced wear debris.The combination of different wear mechanisms taking place in the wear process of unnitrided and nitrided materials were discussed and analyzed. In contrast to the unnitrided steel, DC-pulsed plasma nitrided samples presented an improvement in the friction coefficient and the wear rate.     

Shear-induced boundary film formation from dialkyl sulfides on copper

The friction of a copper surface, which is exposed to diethyl disulfide (DEDS), dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) or dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS) while rubbing by a tungsten carbide pin, are explored in an ultrahigh vacuum tribometer to investigate the effect of the sulfur-to-carbon stoichiometry on gas-phase lubrication. Surface analyses by Auger spectroscopy of the wear scars after rubbing reveal that the amount of sulfur increases with sulfur content of the gas-phase lubricant, as anticipated. It is found that the friction reduction depends on the normal load, where the friction coefficient tends to decrease more at lower loads, and that the load at which the most friction-reducing tribofilm is formed depends on the stoichiometry of the gas-phase lubricant. DEDS (with a sulfur to carbon ratio of 0.5) only reduces the friction coefficient to a minimum value of ～0.28 at a normal load of 0.25 N, for DMDS (S/C = 1.0) friction is reduced to ～0.28 for loads below ～0.7 N, and DMTS (S/C = 1.5) reduces friction to this value for all loads tested.     

Adhesive wear of stir cast hypereutectic Al–Si–Mg alloy under reciprocating sliding conditions

This paper describes an attempt to enhance the wear properties of hypereutectic cast aluminium–silicon alloys produced by semi-solid metal (SSM) processing technique. The rheological experiments on SSM slurries were performed under continuous cooling condition from liquidus temperature. Wear characteristics of alloy under investigation were studied using pin on flat wear system over a range of normal load (10–40 N) at constant average sliding speed (0.2 m/s) against cast iron and stainless steel counter surface. Stir cast alloy showed lesser weight loss compared to conventional cast alloy. Stir cast and conventional cast alloys showed higher weight loss against the stainless steel as compared to that against cast iron counter surface. Optical microscopy of the conventional cast and stir cast hypereutectic alloy has shown that stir casting causes refinement of primary silicon particles and modification of eutectic silicon compared to conventional cast alloy. The scanning electron microscopy of wear surfaces was carried out to investigate the mode of wear.