Tribological Properties of Graphite-Fiber-Reinforced,Partially Fluorinated Polyimide Composites

Graphite-fiber-reinforced polyimide (GFRPI) composites were formulated form three new partially fluorinated polyimides and three types of graphite fiber. Nine composites were molded into pins and evaluated in a pin-on-disk tribometer. Friction coefficients, wear rates, pin wear surface morphology, and transfer film formation were assessed at 25 and 300°C. Also assessed was the effect of sliding distance on friction and the effect of constantly increasing or decreasing temperature on friction. Wear was up to two orders of magnitude lower at 25°C and up to one order of magnitude lower at 300°C than with previously formulated NASA GFRPI composites.     

Tribological Evaluation of an Al2O3-SiO2 Ceramic Fiber Candidate for High Temperature Sliding Seals

A test program to determine the relative slitting durability of an alumina-silica candidate ceramic fiber for high temperature sliding seal applications is described. Pin-on-disk tests were used to evaluate the potential seal material by sliding a tow or bundle of the candidate ceramic fiber against a superalloy test disk. Friction was measured during the tests and fiber wear, indicated h the extent of fibers broken in the tow or bundle, was measured at the end of each test. Test variables studied included ambient temperature from 25° to 900°C, loads from 1.3 to 21.2 N, and sliding velocities from 0.025 to 0.25 m/sec. In addition, the effects of fiber diameter and elastic modulus on friction and wear were measured. Thin gold films deposited on the superalloy disk surface were evaluated in an effort to reduce friction and wear of the fibers.

In most cases, wear increased with test temperature. Friction ranged from 0.36 at 500°C and low velocity (0.025 miser) to over 1.1 at 900°C and high velocity (0.25 m/sec). The gold films resulted in satisfactory lubrication of the fibers at 25°C. At elevated temperatures diffusion of substrate elements degraded the films. These results indicate that the alumina-silica (Al₂O₃SiO₂) fiber is a good candidate material system for high temperature sliding seal applications. More work is needed to reduce friction.     

Characterization of surface grooves and scratches induced by friction of C/C composites at low and high temperatures

Friction experiments were conducted on C/C composites at low and high temperatures during braking with the use of a pin-on-disc tribometer. The surface grooves formed were investigated by an optical camera and a laser profilometer, while scratches were characterized by optical microscopy. Damages were correlated with tribological performances (friction and wear). It is shown that friction at low temperature leads to high friction coefficient and wear rate, and to surfaces strongly grooved and abraded. For friction experiments performed at high temperature, they lead to lower friction coefficient and wear, and the resulting surfaces are rather smooth and slightly grooved.     

Soot–additive interactions in engine oils

Soot is known to cause engine wear. In this work, we focus on how engine oil formulation affects soot‐related wear, and how the lubricant‐derived anti‐wear film changes when soot is present. Friction and wear experiments of fully and partially formulated diesel engine oils (containing basestock, dispersants and viscosity modifiers) are conducted with a ball‐on‐disk rig in the presence of carbon black (CB) as a soot surrogate. The friction coefficient was largely unaffected by CB dispersed in the oils, but electrically insulating film formation, an indication of the formation of anti‐wear films, was decreased. Wear on the disk was found to either remain the same or decrease when CB was present, depending on the oil formulation. An examination of the lubricant‐derived films using Raman and Auger electron spectroscopies found that the presence of more abundant amorphous carbon and lesser amounts of anti‐wear film components on the surface was associated with higher wear. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The use of post‐mortem Raman spectroscopy in explaining friction and wear behaviour of sintered polyimide at high temperature

Due to their thermal stability and high strength, polyimides are an aromatic type of polymer that is used in sliding equipment functioning under high loads and elevated temperature. However, its tribological behaviour under high temperature and atmospheric conditions is not fully understood. It has been reported that a transition from high towards lower friction occurs ‘somewhere’ in the temperature region between 100°C and 200°C; however, a correlation with changes in the polyimide molecular structure remains difficult to illustrate and it is not certain whether or not this transition is correlated to lower wear. In the present work sliding experiments under controlled bulk temperatures between 100°C and 260°C are performed. A transition is observed in both friction and wear at 180°C which is further explained by microscopic analysis of the transfer film on the steel counterface and Raman spectroscopy of the worn polymer surfaces. A close examination of the spectra reveals transitions in relative intensity of certain absorption bands, pointing to different orientation effects of the molecular conformation at the polymer sliding surface at 180°C. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Amorphous hydrogenated carbon films for tribological applications I. Development of moisture insensitive films having reduced compressive stress

Although earlier investigations on the tribological behaviour of amcrphous hydrogenated carbon (AHC) films in sliding contact with steel showed encouraging results, four open issues were identified. They were: (a) dependence of friction and wear on humidity (i.e., the friction coefficient and the wear increased with humidity), (b) limitations on film thickness (i.e., films greater than 2 μm thick delaminated due to large compressive stress), (c) deposition of films on substrates other than silicon and (d) lubricant compatibility (i.e., formation of lubricant-derived antiwear films on AHC film surfaces). Steps were taken to address some of these open issues by incorporating silicon in AHC films. Friction and wear tests were conducted on AHC films containing various amounts of silicon. Incorporation of silicon in AHC films rendered the friction coefficients and the wear of a steel counterface insensitive to moisture. Silicon incorporation in AHC films also significantly reduced compressive stress. This allowed deposition of 10 μm thick films. These effects were achieved without any compromise with the friction coefficient and the film wear if the amount of silicon in the film was kept within a certain concentration range. In addition, silicon-containing AHC films were thermally more stable than silicon-free films. Experiments conducted with two lubricants resulted in significantly lower wear of the silicon-free AHC films than that obtained for unlubricated sliding. Similar friction coefficients were obtained for AHC film/steel and steel/steel combinations in lubricated sliding.     

Tribological and electrical properties of nanocrystalline Cu films deposited by DC magnetron sputtering with varying temperature

Cu films were deposited on Si substrates by direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering at three different substrate temperatures such as room temperature (RT), 100 °C and 200 °C. Possible mechanisms for substrate temperature dependent microstructure evolution in Cu films are discussed in this paper. Enhanced mechanical properties such as high hardness, high elastic modulus, low friction coefficient and high wear resistance of the films were obtained at deposition temperature of 100 °C. However, high friction coefficient as well as high wear rate was measured in films deposited at room temperature and 200 °C.     

Role of the Transfer Film on the Friction and Wear of Metal Carbide Reinforced Amorphous Carbon Coatings During Run-in

The relationship between friction, wear, and transfer films of three metal carbide-reinforced amorphous carbon coatings (TiC/a:C, TiC/a:C–H, and WC/a:C–H), sometimes referred to as metal-doped diamond-like carbon coatings, has been investigated. Tribological tests were performed in an in situ tribometer with sapphire or steel hemispheres run against coated flats in dry or ambient air. The sliding contact interface was observed and recorded by optical microscopy during reciprocating sliding tests. The friction and wear behavior during run-in depended on the number of sliding cycles to form a stationary transfer film on the hemisphere. Stationary transfer films formed rapidly (within ten cycles) and the friction coefficient fell to 0.2 (ambient air) or 0.1 (dry air), except with sapphire against WC/a:C–H in dry air; with the latter, a stationary transfer film required nearly 100 cycles to form, during which the friction remained high and the wear rate was from 10 to 100 times higher than the other two coatings. For all coatings, three velocity accommodation modes (VAM) were observed from run-in to steady-state sliding and were correlated with the friction and wear behavior. The delayed adherence of the transfer film to sapphire from WC/a:C–H coatings in dry air is discussed in terms of equilibrium thermochemistry. Friction and wear behavior during run-in, therefore, depended on transfer film adherence to the hemisphere and the VAM between transfer films and the coating.     

Effect of Metallic-Coating Properties on the Tribology of Coated and Oil-Lubricated Ceramics

Friction and wear behavior was determined for zirconia ceramics lubricated with solid coatings (Ag, Au, and Nb) deposited by ion-beam-assisted-deposition (IBAD) techniques, and a polyol-ester-based synthetic oil. Although the use of soft Ag and Au coatings as solid lubricants in conjunction with the synthetic oil significantly reduced the fiction and wear under boundary lubrication at temperatures up to 250°C, these films had poor durability. In contrast, the Nb coating was more durable in terms of chemical reactivity and adhesion during the tribo-tests than were the Ag or Au films. However, the friction and wear behavior of the Nb-coated zirconia was poorer than that of the ceramics coated with Ag or Au.     

Tribological properties of self-lubricating CMC/Al2O3 pairs at high temperature in air

Three different self-lubricating ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) were fabricated by hot-pressed sintering. They are: Al₂O₃-50CaF₂, Al₂O₃-20Ag20CaF₂, and Al₂O₃-10Ag20CaF₂. Tribological tests were performed at temperatures ranging from 20°C to 800°C in air using a pin-on-disk tester. The experimental results show that the addition of the solid lubricants CaF₂ and Ag can evidently reduce the friction coefficients of alumina between 200°C and 650°C but not at room temperature and the wear rate of disks and pins at elevated temperature. The improvements in the friction and wear properties of CMC were due to the formation of a well-covered solid lubricating film. However, breakdown of the lubricating films at 800°C resulted in high friction and wear. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effect of Temperature on the Dry Sliding Friction and Wear of Rice Bran Ceramics against Different Counterpart Materials

In this study, we investigated the effect of temperature on the friction and wear of rice bran (RB) ceramics, a hard porous carbon material made from rice bran, sliding against alumina, stainless steel, and bearing steel balls under dry conditions. Friction tests were performed using a ball-on-disk-type friction tester wherein a ceramic heater was installed in the rotational stage. The surface temperature of the RB ceramic disk specimens was controlled at 20, 100, 150, or 200°C. The normal load was 1.96 N, sliding velocity was 0.1 m/s, and number of cycles was 20,000. The effect of surface temperature on the friction and wear of RB ceramics substantially differed among the ball material types. The friction coefficient for the RB ceramics sliding against an alumina ball decreased with increasing temperature and exhibited an extremely low value (0.045) at 200°C. The friction coefficient in the case of the RB ceramics sliding against a stainless steel ball exhibited a stable value as the temperature was increased to 150°C and slightly decreased as the temperature was increased further, reaching a low value of 0.122 at 200°C. The friction coefficient for the RB ceramics sliding against bearing steel ball drastically increased with increasing temperature, reaching 0.381 at 200°C. The specific wear rate of the RB ceramics increased with increasing temperature; it was lowest when sliding against alumina and highest when sliding against bearing steel. The wear of the alumina ball was the lowest and that of the bearing steel ball was the highest under all investigated temperature conditions. On the basis of these results, we concluded that alumina is a promising counterpart material for RB ceramics sliding at high temperatures (≤200°C).     

Wear mechanism of multiphase friction materials with different phenolic resin matrices

Wear of the brake friction materials with straight phenolic resin, silicon modified phenolic resin, or boron–phosphorous (B–P) modified phenolic resin was investigated. A simple formulation was used to produce friction material specimens and wear tests were carried out using a Krauss type friction tester. Friction stability and wear rate of the three friction materials were compared as a function of temperature up to 400 °C and the mechanisms associated with the wear processes at different temperature ranges were analyzed using Arrhenius type plots and worn surface morphology after tests. The results showed that the wear process below the critical temperature was mainly attributed to the gradual stripping of the heat affected surface layers of the friction material, while the wear rate at elevated temperatures was determined by the detachment of subsurfaces that was caused by the thermal decomposition of the resin. Among the three friction materials investigated in this study, the friction material containing B–P modified resin showed the best wear resistance and friction stability.     

Study on Tribological Performance of NiAl Matrix Self-Lubricating Composites Containing Graphene at Different Loads

This study aimed to explore the possibility of improving the tribological performance of NiAl matrix composites by graphene addition. Friction and wear experiments of as-prepared specimens were conducted under different conditions using a pin-on-disk wear testing machine. NiAl matrix composites containing graphene showed satisfactory performance in friction coefficient and wear resistance compared to NiAl matrix composites without graphene. For the active effect of graphene, the friction coefficient and wear rate of NiAl matrix composites were maintained at relatively lower values. The beneficial antifriction and antiwear effects of graphene gradually failed when the applied load was above 8 N. Graphene in NiAl matrix composites played an active role in the formation of a friction layer, which was beneficial to the lower friction coefficient and wear rate. In light of this research, graphene plays an active role in reducing the friction coefficient and wear rate. Hence, graphene has great potential in applications as an effective solid lubricant to promote tribological behavior.     

Tribological Thermostability of Carbon Film with Vertically Aligned Graphene Sheets

Tribological thermostability of carbon film with vertically aligned graphene sheets was studied with annealing temperatures up to 1,750 °C. The carbon film was deposited on silicon carbide substrate by electron cyclotron resonance plasma sputtering. Tribological thermostabilities of the carbon film in terms of friction coefficient, wear life, and nanoscratch depth were investigated by Pin-on-Disk tribometer and atomic force microscopy. The evolution of nanostructure of vertically aligned graphene sheets in the carbon film as a function of annealing temperature was examined by Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that the friction coefficient, wear life, and nanoscratch depth of the carbon film were thermally stable up to 1,250 °C. When the annealing temperature was 1,500 °C, the friction coefficient and the nanoscratch depth increased, the wear life decreased, but still all were of considerable values. These variations were attributed to the initiation of tubular-like structure originated from graphene sheets stacks. After annealing at 1,750 °C, tribological performances degraded catastrophically due to the abundant formation of tubular-like structures and the appearance of a graphitic interlayer between the film and the substrate.     

Friction and wear of polyimide thin films

The friction and wear of thin polyimide films were measured as functions of the polyimide structure, the sliding speed and the temperature in a pin-on-disk machine. A 5 N load pressed a stationary 52100 steel ball against the rotating polyimide film 50 μm thick which was solvent cast on an AISI 410 stainless steel disk. The wear rates were significantly affected by structural differences which resulted from the different dianhydrides and diamines from which the polyimides were synthesized. The wear rates were lowest for the most flexible molecular chains as indicated by the glass transition temperatures. A positive correlation was found for a power law relationship between the wear rate and the elastic modulus (the correlation coefficient was 0.997) for tests at 24 and 130°C. The power law relationship is suggested by the fatigue model of wear.     

Tribological Properties of Engine Oil with Carbon Nano-horns as Nano-additives

The work illustrates the preparation of stable suspensions of single-walled carbon nano-horns (SWCNHs) in engine oil and shows their tribological behavior at different temperatures. The suspension stability was verified by dynamic light scattering, and the viscosity of suspensions was measured. Stribeck test was used to evaluate the tribological performances of nano-lubricants in the 25–80 °C temperature range. The coefficient of friction was reduced with the addition of SWCNHs at all temperatures and concentrations. In particular, at T = 25 °C, the coefficient friction was reduced up to about 12 % in boundary regime even with a very low SWCNH concentration (0.01 vol%). Wear tests were carried out to verify results obtained from Stribeck characterization. A decrease in mean wear rate was observed at each temperature, between 25 and 30 %. In particular, at 25 °C, a decrease of about 30 % in wear rate was estimated. Friction coefficient decrease was also observed during all wear tests, probably due to the ball-bearing effect played by SWCNHs spherical aggregates. Therefore, SWCNHs revealed the potential to be promising candidates as additives, to develop a new class of lubricants that are suitable and effective in different operating environments.     

RSM base study of the effect of deposition temperature and hydrogen flow on the wear behavior of DLC films

A statistical study of the effects of deposition temperature and hydrogen flow on the wear behavior of DLC films was examined using the RSM method based on a central composite design. DLC films were deposited on the nitrocarburized AISI 4140 steel by the pulsed DC PACVD method at temperature range of 60–120 °C and in an atmosphere of hydrogen range of 0–40 sccm. Results indicated that a combination of relatively high deposition temperature and low hydrogen flow or low deposition temperature and high hydrogen flow produce DLC film with low wear rate and low friction coefficient.     

A comparison of boundary wear film formation on steel and a thermal sprayed Co/Cr/Mo coating under sliding conditions

In this paper, the action of the zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate (ZDDP) anti-wear additive has been examined on two different materials (Steel AISI 52100 and a Co/Cr/Mo thermal spray coating) sliding against cast iron in reciprocating mode. Tests have been conducted under lubricated wear conditions at relatively low (20, 50 °C) and elevated (up to 100 °C) bulk oil temperatures. A comparison is made between the friction, wear and chemical nature of the wear film formed under varying temperatures, on two materials, in two lubricants (one free from and one containing ZDDP) and after different test durations. The wear film has been examined by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).In this work, it has been shown in this work that the friction coefficient is dependent on the temperature, the lubricant and the nature of the contacting surfaces. In the presence of ZDDP, a wear film, comprising Zn, S and P, forms even at the lowest bulk oil temperature of 20 °C. The nature of the film is dependent on the substrate material and the steel and Co/Cr/Mo coating showed contrasting film characteristics. In this paper, the wear and friction results for each couple in oil containing and free from additives is discussed with reference to the nature of the wear film. A correlation has been made between the wear, friction and chemical analysis measurements.     

Tribochemical effects on the friction and wear behaviors of a-C:H and a-C films in different environment

Friction and wear behaviors of hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) and hydrogen-free amorphous carbon (a-C) films sliding against Si₃N₄ balls were investigated in different testing environments. The result showed that two films with extreme chemical disparity (one hydrogenated, and the other hydrogen free) showed distinct different friction and wear behaviors, and the friction and wear behaviors of the both films were strongly dependent on the environment. For a-C:H films, much low friction coefficient and wear rate were obtain in dry N₂. In the water and/or oxygen containing environments, the friction coefficient and wear rate of a-C:H films were obviously increased. On the contrary, a-C films only provided low friction coefficient and wear rate in the presence of water and/or oxygen in the test chamber. In dry N₂, the highest friction coefficient and wear rate were observed for a-C films. By investigating the worn surfaces of the films using XPS, it was proposed that the environment dependence of the friction and wear behaviors of the films was closely related with the friction-induced chemical interactions between the films and water and/or oxygen molecules. The specific roles of hydrogen, water and oxygen molecules and their tribochemical effects on the friction and wear mechanism of the films are discussed.     

Mechanical and tribological properties of phenolic resin-based friction composites filled with several inorganic fillers

The calcined petroleum coke (CPC), talcum powder (TP) and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) were used as the friction modifiers to improve the mechanical and tribological properties of phenolic resin-based friction composites (the resin matrix was coded as PHE). Thus the composites filled with the inorganic particulates of laminar structures were prepared by compression molding. The hardness and bending strength of the friction composites were measured. The tribological properties of the composites sliding against cast iron were evaluated using a pin-on-disc test rig. The morphologies of the worn surfaces of the composites and the transfer films on the counterpart cast iron disc were analyzed by means of scanning electron microscopy, and the elemental plane distributions on the transfer films were analyzed using energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDXA). It was found that the friction composites of different compositions showed different friction and wear behaviors, which was highly dependent on the volume fractions of the friction modifiers in the composites. Namely, the inclusion of CPC, h-BN, and TP at a volume fraction of 10% helped to greatly increase the bending strength and wear resistance of the composites, and in these cases the coefficients of friction for the composites were ranged within 0.43–0.47. In particular, the PHE-based composite with 10% h-BN had excellent friction stability at various testing conditions and showed the best wear resistance above 125 °C, which was attributed to the formation of a compact friction film (third-body-layer) on the rubbing surface of the composite and of a durable transfer film on the rubbing surface of the counterpart cast iron. The PHE-based composite with 10% CPC showed the best wear resistance below 125 °C, which was ascribed to the same reasons mentioned above. The different actions of various friction modifiers in terms of their effects on the friction and wear behavior of the phenolic resin-based friction composites could be related to their different bonding strengths with the resin matrix and their different abilities to form friction films (third-body-layer) on the surfaces of the composites and transfer films on the counterpart cast iron surface as well.