Effect of varying load on wear resistance of carbon steel under unlubricated conditions

Pin-on-disk type wear tests of mild steel in contact with itself were conducted under unlubricated conditions in moist air to investigate the effect of changes in load on the transition behavior between severe and mild wear. Machines in operation are usually subjected to varying loads. In this study, two contact load levels were used as a simple varying load condition. The load was changed in a step-wise manner between the low and high levels either once or twice during certain tests.Severe wear appears at the high load levels and mild wear at the low load levels in wear tests under constant loading. After oxidized, work-hardened wear surfaces have been formed under mild wear at the low load during the first stage, the wear mode changes to “quasi-mild wear” having a low rate at the high load in the final stage. The load range, where the low wear rate can be maintained under quasi-mild wear, extends to the higher load level after the change(s) in load. Once the quasi-mild wear surface has been generated, the wear mode can be maintained even at the high load for a very long sliding distance.     

Reciprocating friction and wear behavior of Ti3AlC2 and Ti3AlC2/Al2O3 composites against AISI52100 bearing steel

In this work, the dry sliding friction and wear properties of Ti₃AlC₂ and Ti₃AlC₂/Al₂O₃ composites against AISI52100 steel ball were investigated using a reciprocating ball on flat configuration under different normal loads. The results indicated that the friction/wear processes of both Ti₃AlC₂ and the composites against AISI52100 steel experienced two different stages with an abrupt transition between them under all test conditions. The first stage was characterized by low coefficient of friction (μ) and neglectable wear rate. While the second stage was of much higher wear rate and μ. When the transition occurred, μ increased dramatically accompanied with formation of a mass of debris. In Ti₃AlC₂, the main wear mechanisms during the first stage involved surface materials transfer and oxidation accompanied with subsurface damages by grains kinking, delamination as well as transgranular and intergranular cracks. Accumulating of such contact damages under repeated sliding contact finally leaded to surface and subsurface microfracture of Ti₃AlC₂. Then microfracture controlled severe wear started. Incorporation of Al₂O₃ in Ti₃AlC₂ not only improved wear resistance of Ti₃AlC₂ but also extended the first mild friction/wear stage, because Al₂O₃ particles borne load and restrained large-scale deformation and microfracture of Ti₃AlC_2.     

Evolution of Tribological Properties of Reactor-Grade NiCr-B Coating

The tribological properties of reactor-grade NiCr-B hardfaced coating were studied at a constant load and sliding velocity. The objective of the present article is to investigate the changes in coefficient of friction that accompanies morphological and phase changes occurring in wear scars. Such changes result from the sliding with a spherical steel ball. The transition from the low to high coefficient of friction at higher sliding distance is attributed to severe cracking as well as fretting wear–induced deformation of surface oxide scales. Increased value of coefficient of friction arises from protracted sliding over longer distances continued to deform and detachment of weakly adhered oxides like Fe₂O₃ and Cr₂O₃. Such scales are tribochemically formed on the wear scars and contribute to alteration in the coefficient of friction. The evolution of oxide phases in wear scars is found to be one of the main mechanisms for dissipation of frictional force.     

Wear of a single asperity using Lateral Force Microscopy

This report describes an observation of alternating transitions between linear (Amontons) and non-linear friction-load behavior during Lateral Force Microscope experiments using a silicon tip sliding on a quartz surface. Initially, a transition from linear to non-linear behavior was attributed to nanoscale ‘running-in’ of the tip to form a single contact junction at the interface. Once this had occurred, a non-linear relationship between friction and applied load was observed during a number of loading and unloading cycles. For higher compressive loads, a further transition to a more linear friction-load behavior was attributed to nanoscale wear in the contact zone. Notably, when applied load was reduced below this ‘high-load’ transition point, the same non-linear friction-load behavior was again observed, but with a larger (friction per load) magnitude than seen previously. This cycle was repeated five times in these experiments, and each time, switching between non-linear and linear friction-load behavior occurred, along with a progressive increase in friction (per load) each time load was reduced below the transition point. The progressive increase in friction is attributed to an increased area of contact, caused by nanoscale wear at higher applied loads. An increase in tip size was confirmed by tip profiling before and after experiment. By progressively wearing the asperity at higher loads, the (interfacial or true) contact area, A, between the surfaces could be progressively increased, and as a result, a progressive increase in interfacial sliding friction, F _f , was obtained at lower loads (according to F _f = τA).     

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.     

Effect of densification and TiB2 reinforcement on the wear of molybdenum disilicide

Wear tests were done in a pin‐on‐disc machine by sliding MoSi₂ pins against hard‐steel discs in a normal load range of 5–140 N and a speed of 0.5 m/s under nominally dry conditions in the ambient. The specific wear rate of the pin undergoes two transitions: severe to mild at low load and mild to severe at high load. The mild‐wear domain is distinguished by the formation of a protective mechanically mixed layer of steel and its oxides, transferred from the counterface in particulate form. Increasing the hardness by densification and TiB₂ reinforcement lowers the specific wear rate and expands the mild‐wear load domain. However, even when the volume wear rate is normalised with respect to the real contact area (load/hardness) the non‐dimensional wear factor is still seen to decrease with densification and reinforcement. This indicates that fracture toughness may also play an important role in determining the wear‐resistance of these materials. The surface coverage on the pin by the mechanically mixed layer increases with densification and reinforcement. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effect of friction cycles on wear particle generation of carbon nitride coating against a spherical diamond

The in-situ observations of wear particle generation of carbon nitride coating on silicon repeatedly sliding against a spherical diamond have been studied in terms of the critical friction cycles and normal loads. An environmental scanning electron microscope (E-SEM), in which a pin-on-disk tribotester was installed, has in-situ provided direct evidence of when and how the wear particle generation do occur during the repeated sliding of carbon nitride coating against a spherical diamond. The in-situ observations of non-conductive carbon nitride coating are therefore available free from surface charging with controllable relative humidity. The repeated sliding tests at a sliding speed of 50 μm/s have been carried out with the purpose of observing the ‘No wear particle generation’ region when varying normal load from 10 to 250 mN. It appears that until 20 friction cycles, the maximum Hertzian contact pressure P_max for ‘No wear particle generation’ can be improved from 1.39 Y to 1.53 Y if silicon is coated by carbon nitride with a thickness of 10 nm, where Y is defined as the yield strength of silicon. The applicable enlargement of the ‘No wear particle generation’ region of carbon nitride coating has therefore been comparatively discussed with the silicon substrate from the view points of the friction coefficient and the specific wear rate. The mode transition maps have also been summarized for the repeated sliding of carbon nitride coating in terms of ‘No wear particle generation’, ‘Wear particle generation by microcutting’ and ‘Wear particle generation by microcutting and microfracturing’ three typical modes.     

Sliding friction and wear properties of CNX/TiN composite films

A combined dc magnetron sputtering and multi-arc deposition system was used to grow CN_X/TiN composite films on a high-speed-steel (HSS) substrate. The thickness of these films is about 3 μm, the hardness of the coating exceeds 50 GPa. The sliding friction properties were studied by ball-on-disc tests under different loads and speeds. The wear mode of the films was observed and analyzed. There exist spallation, abrasion and micro-ploughing wear modes under different loads. The critical load value was theoretically determined and tested to be 55 N. The results show that the alternating films have good wear resistance under heavy load and high speed.     

Influence of Internal Lubricants (PTFE and Silicon Oil) in Short Carbon Fibre-Reinforced Polyimide Composites on Performance Properties

Short carbon fibre-reinforced thermoplastic polyimides (30 wt%) often show high and unstable coefficients of friction. In this study, the effects of internal lubrication by polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) (15 wt%) or silicon oil (15 wt%) have been investigated using a reciprocating cylinder-on-plate test under 50–100 N normal loads and 0.3–1.2 m/s sliding velocities. The sliding mechanisms are discussed by considering mechanical and thermochemical modifications. The PTFE additives provide lowest coefficients of friction completely stabilising after a transition from mechanically into thermally controlled sliding at 120 °C. The sliding mechanisms and homogeneous transfer films are mainly controlled by plasticisation rather than easy-shear of its lamellar structure that is hindered by fibre reinforcement. Thermoplastic lubricants decrease the mechanical strength and therefore cause deformation and highest wear rates under 200 N. Internal oil lubricants do not reduce coefficients of friction at mild to intermediate normal loads and sliding velocities, while they become most efficient at severe sliding conditions, augmenting the pv-limit. While coefficients of friction match uniquely to the pv-conditions, the wear rates are mainly influenced by the load level: the lowest wear rates are provided by PTFE at low to intermediate pv-conditions and by oil lubricants under high normal loads.     

Ultralow Friction Behaviors of Hydrogenated Fullerene-Like Carbon Films: Effect of Normal Load and Surface Tribochemistry

Friction and wear behaviors of hydrogenated fullerene-like (H-FLC) carbon films sliding against Si₃N₄ ceramic balls were performed at different contact loads from 1 to 20 N on a reciprocating sliding tribometer in air. It was found that the films exhibited non-Amontonian friction behaviors, the coefficient of friction (COF) decreased with normal contact load increasing: the COF was ~0.112 at 1 N contact load, and deceased to ultralow value (~0.009) at 20 N load. The main mechanism responsible for low friction and wear under varying contact pressure is governed by hydrogenated carbon transfer film that formed and resided at the sliding interfaces. In addition, the unique fullerene-like structures induce well elastic property of the H-FLC films (elastic recovery 78%), which benefits the high load tolerance and induces the low wear rate in air condition. For the film with an ultralow COF of 0.009 tested under 20 N load in air, time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) signals collected inside and outside the wear tracks indicated the presence of C₂H₃ ⁻ and C₂H₅ ⁻ fragments after tribological tests on the H-FLC films surface. We think that the tribochemistry and elastic property of the H-FLC films is responsible for the observed friction behaviors, the high load tolerance, and chemical inertness of hydrogenated carbon-containing transfer films instead of the graphitization of transfer films is responsible for the steady-state low coefficients of friction, wear, and interfacial shear stress.     

Friction, wear and material transfer of sintered polyimides sliding against various steel and diamond-like carbon coated surfaces

Polyimide cylinders are slid under 50 N normal load and 0.3 m/s sliding velocity against carbon steel (R_a=0.2 and 0.05 μm), high-alloy steel (R_a=0.05 μm), diamond-like carbon (DLC, R_a=0.05 μm) and diamond-like nanocomposite (DLN, R_a=0.05 μm). Only for a limited range of test parameters, the friction of polyimide/DLN is lower than for polyimide/steel, while polyimide shows higher wear rates after sliding against DLN compared to steel counterfaces. The DLN coating shows slight wear scratches, although less severe than on DLC-coatings that are worn through thermal degradation. Therefore, also friction against DLC-coatings is high and unstable. Calculated bulk temperatures for steel and DLN under mild sliding conditions remain below the polyimide transition temperature of 180 °C so that other surface characteristics explain low friction on DLN counterfaces, as surface energy, structural compatibility and transfer behaviour. Friction is initially determined through adhesion and it is demonstrated that higher surface energy provides higher friction. After certain sliding time, different polyimide transfer on each counterface governs the tribological performance. Polyimide and amorphous DLC structures are characterised by C–C bonds, showing high structural compatibility and easy adherence of wear debris on the coating. However, it consists of plate-like transfer particles that act as abrasives and deteriorate the polyimide wear resistance. In sliding experiments with high-alloy steel, wear debris is washed out of the contact zone without formation of a transfer film. Transfer consists of island-like particles for smooth carbon steel and it forms a more homogeneous transfer film on rough carbon steel. The latter thick and protective film is favourable for low wear rates; however, it causes higher friction than smooth counterfaces.     

Tribological behavior of reciprocating friction drive system under lubricated contact

The dynamic friction and wear behaviors are investigated in reciprocating friction drive system using a 0.45% carbon steel pair. The effects of various operating parameters on the traction force, stick and slip time, and friction modes are examined under the lubricated contacts. Moreover, the critical operating conditions in classifying three friction modes are also established. Results show that the fluid friction induced by the shearing of lubricant dominates the variation of traction force and produces the positive slope γ at the first period of slip in the traction force–relative sliding velocity curve. The γ value decreases at higher driver speed during stick-slip motion due to the thicker fluid film and shear thinning effect. The γ value increases due to the asperity interactions as the friction region is transferred from stick-slip to sticking with normal load from 196 to 980 N. Furthermore, it is also found that the static friction force is independent of stick time for the tangential loading rate ranged from 1.12 to 16.8 s⁻¹. The transition region produces the severest wear under the different driver speeds, but the wear is insensitive to the friction regions and the severe wear only occurs at higher normal load due to the action of Hertzian contact.     

Alumina in unlubricated sliding point, line and plane contacts

The study is based on unlubricated sliding self-mated tests with high-grade alumina in three different contact geometries. In each contact geometry, both mild and severe wear were observed; at the normal force of 30 N that was applied on each test, the transition into severe wear occurred at a velocity specific to the geometry. The wear transition involved surface fracture caused by mechanical and thermal stresses. Part of the wear debris produced under severe wear was compacted under friction and formed smooth tribofilms on the mating surfaces. Larger contact areas allowed slightly higher sliding velocities under a given normal force. The bearing capability of alumina, however, was quite low. Alumina can be recommended only for dry sliding applications in which the load and speed safely remain below the limit for the transition from mild to severe wear.     

Experimental extrapolation model for friction and wear of polymers on different testing scales

The friction and wear behaviour for polyoxymethylene homopolymers (POM-H) and polyethylene terephthalate with teflon additives (PET/PTFE) is compared on small-scale cylinder-on-plate tests (50-200 N normal loads) and large-scale flat-on-flat tests (190-3880 kN normal loads). A common parameter to characterise tribological data is the contact pressure×sliding velocity (pv-value), but its use seems restricted to a single testing scale. Four experimental models are presented to extrapolate tribological data from one to another testing scale, based on (i) one single mechanical parameter (normal load or contact pressure), (ii) two mechanical parameters (normal load and sliding velocity), (iii) the contact pressure-sliding velocity model (pv-temperature limit), (iv) macroscopic geometry model. The latter model is most extensive, considering the influences of thermal effects (frictional heat generation and dissipation), sample geometry (geometry factor G) and visco-elastic contact (critical contact pressure p₀). For unfilled polymers, the introduction of macroscopic scaling factors allows for the extrapolation of coefficients of friction obtained on different testing scales. Specific or volumetric wear rates cannot be extrapolated because they strongly depend on the sample geometry, while linear wear rates are in better agreement when considering the transitions between mild wear, softening and melting. For internally lubricated polymers, extrapolation is more difficult. The differences depending on the testing scale are attributed to contact stress concentrations near the sample borders and limited wear debris mobility within large contact areas, promoting a homogeneous film formation onto the polymer surface.     

A Study of Friction and Wear Behavior of Nitrided Layer on 2cr13 Steel in Vacuum

Tribological characteristics and wear mechanisms of gas-nitrided layer on a 2Cr13 steel in vacuum were investigated using a pin-on-disk type tribometer under self-mating dry sliding conditions with various normal loads and sliding velocities. The wear mechanisms involved were investigated by microscopic observations of the worn surfaces, the wear debris, and the corresponding cross sections. Experimental results show that for both sliding velocities of 0.2 and 1.6 m s⁻¹, friction forces are relatively stable in the case of lower loads (≤50 N), whereas become unstable and show high fluctuations under higher loads (>50 N). Wear mechanisms of the nitrided layer in vacuum are different for the lower and the higher sliding velocities. In the former case, mild abrasive wear dominates. In the latter case, a transition takes place from mild adhesive wear to severe adhesive or even delamination wear, with increasing normal load from 10 to 90 N.     

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.     

Dry Sliding Wear Behavior and a Proposed Criterion for Mild to Severe Wear Transition of Mg–3Al–0.4Si–0.1Zn Alloy

Wear behavior of Mg–3Al–0.4Si–0.1Zn alloy was studied as a function of applied load and sliding speed under dry sliding conditions using a pin-on-disk configuration within 20–380 N and 0.1–4.0 m/s. An empirical wear transition map has been constructed to delineate the conditions under which severe wear initiated. The roles of microstructural evolution, hardness change in subsurface and surface oxidation on wear transition were also studied. The results indicate that the transition to severe wear occurs when the deformed microstructure in surface layer of material transforms into dynamic recrystallization (DRX) microstructure. A contact surface DRX temperature criterion for mild to severe wear transition is proposed, and the contact surface DRX temperatures are calculated using activation energy obtained by hot compression tests. A model for predicating mild to severe wear transition load has been developed based on the proposed contact surface DRX temperature criterion. The mild to severe wear transition loads are well predicted within the sliding speed range of 0.8–4.0 m/s.     

Influence of Deposition Positions on Fretting Behaviors of DLC Coating on Ti-6Al-4V

Abstract

The influence of diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating positions—coated flat, coated cylinder, and self-mated coated surface tribopairs—on the fretting behaviors of Ti-6Al-4V were investigated using a fretting wear test rig with a cylinder-on-flat contact. The results indicated that, for tests without coating (Ti-6Al-4V–Ti-6Al-4V contact), the friction (Q_max/P) was high (0.8–1.2), wear volumes were large (0.08–0.1?mm³) under a large displacement amplitude of ±40 µm and small (close to 0) under a small displacement amplitude of ±20 µm, and the wear debris was composed of Ti-6Al-4V flakes and oxidized particles. For tests with the DLC coating, under low load conditions, the DLC coating was not removed or was only partially removed, Q_max/P was low (≤0.2), and the wear volumes were small. Under high load conditions, the coating was entirely removed, Q_max/P was high (0.6–0.8), and the wear volumes were similar to those in tests without coating. The wear debris was composed of DLC particles, Ti-6Al-4V flakes, and oxidized particles. The DLC coating was damaged more severely when deposited on a flat surface than when deposited on a cylindrical surface. The DLC coating was damaged more severely when sliding against a DLC-coated countersurface than when sliding against the Ti-6Al-4V alloy.     

Exploratory study of alumina-on-alumina sliding contact in the presence of the chemical vapor aluminum tri-sec-butoxide

The purpose of this experiment is to explore whether the introduction of the chemical vapor aluminum tri-sec-butoxide, [C₂H₅CH(CH₃)O]₃Al (ATSB), into the boundary layer of an alumina-on-alumina sliding contact can reduce wear and friction. Since the efficacy of ATSB in the boundary layer might depend on other factors, a split-plot factorial experiment was conducted. The factors tested, in addition to the presence or absence of ATSB, were normal load, sliding speed, and surface roughness. The product of normal load and sliding distance was constant in these experiments. The main conclusions of the experiment are that ATSB has no statistically significant effect on specific wear, but that the presence of ATSB reduces friction by 21% at low sliding speed (0.02 m/s) and increases friction by 26% at high sliding speed (1.2 m/s). Secondary conclusions regarding the dependence of specific wear and friction on surface roughness, sliding speed and normal load also will be discussed.     

Hot wear properties of ceramic and basalt fiber reinforced hybrid friction materials

In the present study, hybrid friction materials were manufactured using ceramic and basalt fibers. Ceramic fiber content was kept constant at 10 vol% and basalt fiber content was changed between 0 to 40 vol%. Mechanical properties and friction and wear characteristics of friction materials were determined using a pin-on-disc type apparatus against a cast iron counterface in the sliding speeds of 3.2–12.8 m/s, disc temperature of 100–350 °C and applied loads of 312.5–625 N. The worn surfaces of the specimens were examined by SEM. Experiments show that fiber content has a significant influence on the mechanical and tribological properties of the composites. The friction coefficient of the hybrid friction materials was increased with increasing additional basalt fiber content. But the specific wear rates of the composites decreased up to 30 vol% fiber content and then increased again above this value. The wear tests showed that the coefficient of friction decreases with increasing load and speed but increases with increasing disc temperature up to 300 °C. The most important factor effecting wear rate was the disc temperature followed by sliding speed. The materials showing higher specific wear rates gave relatively coarser wear particles. XRD studies showed that Fe and Fe₂O₃ were present in wear debris at severe wear conditions which is indicating the disc wear.