Effects of Glass-to-Rubber Transition on the Friction Properties of ZrO2 Reinforced Polybenzoxazine Nanocomposites

The present work is a generic study to examine the effects of the glass-to-rubber transition of resin matrix on the friction and wear characteristics of zirconium oxide (ZrO₂) reinforced polybenzoxazine nanocomposites, in relation to the content of ZrO₂. The thermal and tribological properties of the nanocomposites were measured by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMA) and friction test, respectively. DMA results revealed that the storage modulus and T _g values of the nanocomposites increased with increasing ZrO₂ content to 4 wt%, due to the exceptional mechanical strength of ZrO₂ particles and the interfacial adhesion between ZrO₂ and matrix to restrict the segmental motion of polymer. The friction coefficient (COF) values as a function of applied load (50?C750?N) for the nanocomposites under testing temperatures (50, 100, 200, 250, and 300?°C) were measured. Comparable to the pure resin, the nanocomposites possessed relatively higher COF values with the increase of applied pressure under varying temperatures, which resulted from the reinforcement of ZrO₂. It is noted that the nanocomposites containing 4 wt% ZrO₂ occupied relatively higher modulus and glass transition temperature, resulting in better capability to stabilize the friction coefficient and wear rate under the applied conditions. In addition, the friction mechanism of the nanocomposites were proposed based on the experimental and reference results.     

Effect of Mo and Ag on the friction and wear behavior of ZrO2 (Y2O3)–Ag–CaF2–Mo composites from 20 °C to 1000 °C

In this paper, a series of ZrO₂ matrix high-temperature self-lubricating composites were prepared by hot-press technique. The effect of Mo and Ag on the friction and wear behavior of the ZrO₂(Y₂O₃)–Ag–CaF₂–Mo composites in a wide temperature range was investigated. The XRD results showed that CaMoO₄ formed on the worn surface above 400 °C. The excellent lubrication performance of CaMoO₄ endowed the low coefficient of friction of the ZrO₂(Y₂O₃)–Ag–CaF₂–Mo composites at high temperatures. The ZrO₂(Y₂O₃)–10Ag–10CaF₂–10Mo composites showed favorable wear resistance at all the tested temperatures which was attributed to the combined action of hardness and phase transformation.     

A Load-Dependent Model to Investigate the Velocity Dependence of Friction Coefficient: ZrO2/Polymer Nanocomposite

Using dynamic finite simulations, we investigate how the friction coefficient of ZrO₂/polymer nanocomposite depends on the sliding speed. The load-dependent model we developed corresponds to common friction systems, where the friction couples are sliding under fixed load for various speeds. Here, we study the effect of the sliding speed on the contact distance between two contacting bodies. In accordance with experimental observations and theoretical arguments, we find the contact distance increased with the sliding speed. We show that the dependence of the reaction force on sliding speed can be rationalized by assuming that the frequency dependence of the polymer chains relaxation times is affected by the damping effects of contact stress. By investigating the energy dissipation, we show how the friction coefficient is affected by the sliding speed. The deformation volume and relaxation times decreased with the increasing sliding speed, which result in the decreasing of energy dissipation. Then, the work in pushing the top cylinder across the bottom plateau decreases, results in a reduction of the mean horizontal reaction force and friction coefficient.     

Effect of temperature and load on three-body abrasion of cermets and steel

The effect of temperature and load on three-body abrasion resistance has been examined for stainless steel, Cr₃C₂-Ni cermet, plain WC-Co hardmetal and yttria stabilized zirconia doped WC-based composites. Series of tests at various tribo-conditions were performed on a recently developed device. Coefficient of friction and materials response to abrasive actions have been analyzed and positive effect of zirconia addition on materials wear resistance has been shown. The low wear rates of ZrO₂ containing cermets are due to lower susceptibility of zirconia to transgranular crack propagation, smaller mean free path between ceramic grains and formation of lubricating glazed silica-rich layer.     

Wear Behavior of (TiB2–TiC)–Ni/TiAl/Ti Gradient Materials Prepared by the FAPAS Process

(TiB₂–TiC)–Ni/TiAl/Ti functionally gradient materials were prepared by field-activated pressure-assisted synthesis processes. (TiB₂–TiC)–Ni composite ceramic, the top layer of the functional gradient materials, was prepared in situ by the combustion synthesis process using Ti and B₄C powders as raw materials. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of the ceramic layer revealed that the TiB₂ and TiC particles in the composite were fine and homogeneously dispersed in the Ni matrix. The friction and wear properties of the (TiB₂–TiC)–Ni ceramic were evaluated by sliding against a GCr15 disk at temperatures from ambient up to 400 °C. The experimental results showed that the friction coefficient of the (TiB₂–TiC)–Ni ceramic decreased with the increasing testing temperature, load, and sliding speed. However, the loss rate decreased at higher temperature and increased at higher load and higher sliding speed. The wear mechanisms of (TiB₂–TiC)–Ni ceramic mainly depend upon thermal oxidation at higher temperature, load, and sliding speed. The worn topography and phase component of the worn surfaces were analyzed using SEM, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The oxide films of Fe₂O₃, TiO₂, and B₂O₃ formed during the friction process play an important role in lubrication, which results in a smaller friction coefficient.     

Mechanical properties and tribological behavior of ZrO<Subscript>2</Subscript> thin films deposited on sulfonated self-assembled monolayer of 3-mercaptopropyl trimethoxysilane

A silane coupling reagent (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (abridged as MPTS) was self-assembled on a single-crystal Si substrate to form a two-dimensional organic monolayer (MPTS-SAM). The terminal –SH group in the MPTS-SAM film was in-situ oxidized to –SO₃H group to endow the film with good chemisorption ability. Then ZrO₂ thin films were deposited on the oxidized MPTS-SAM by way of the enhanced hydrolysis of aqueous zirconium sulfate (Zr(SO₄)₂·4H₂O) in the presence of aqueous HCl at 50 °C, making use of the chemisorption ability of the –SO₃H group. The thickness of the ZrO₂ films was determined with an ellipsometer, while their morphologies and corresponding friction forces were analyzed by means of atomic force microscopy. The hardness and elastic modulus of the ZrO₂ thin films were determined on a Nanoindentation II (MET) instrument. The macro-friction and wear behaviors of the ZrO₂ films sliding against an AISI-52100 steel ball were examined on a unidirectional friction and wear tester and the worn surface morphologies observed on a scanning electron microscope (SEM). As the results, the as-deposited ZrO₂ thin film at a deposition duration of 100 h is about 100 nm thick, it decreases to 48 nm after annealing at 500 °C and further decreases to 45 nm after heating at 800 °C. The as-deposited ZrO₂ film is relatively rougher, with the rms to be about 1.0 nm, while the ZrO₂ thin films heated at 500 and 800 °C have surface roughness rms of 0.76 nm and 0.68 nm, respectively. The ZrO₂ film annealed at 800 °C has a high hardness to elastic modulus (H/E) ratio (0.062) as compared to the as-deposited ZrO₂ film and the film annealed at 500 °C. Both the two annealed ZrO₂ films show excellent wear-resistance as they slide against AISI-52100 steel at a normal load below 2.0 N, while the one annealed at 800 °C has better wear-resistance. The differences in the friction and wear behaviors of the as-deposited ZrO₂ film, the ZrO₂ film annealed at 500 °C and that annealed at 800 °C are attributed to their different micro structures and compositions. Since the ZrO₂ films was well adhered to the underlying MPTS-SAM, it might find promising application in the surface-protection of single crystal Si and SiC subject to sliding at small normal load in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS).     

WC–ZrO2 composites: processing and unlubricated tribological properties

In the present work, we report the processing and properties of WC–6 wt.% ZrO₂ composites, densified using the pressureless sintering route. The densification of the WC–ZrO₂ composites was carried out in the temperature range of 1500–1700 °C with varying time (1–3 h) in vacuum. The experimental results indicate that significantly high hardness of 22–23 GPa and moderate fracture toughness of ∼5 MPa m^1/2 can be obtained with 2 mol% Y-stabilized ZrO₂ sinter-additive, sintered at 1600 °C for 3 h. Furthermore, the friction and wear behavior of optimized WC–ZrO₂ composite is investigated on a fretting mode I wear tester. The tribological results reveal that a moderate coefficient of friction in the range from 0.15 to 0.5 can be achieved with the optimised composite. An important observation is that a transition in friction and wear with load is noted. The dominant mechanisms of material removal appear to be tribochemical wear and spalling of tribolayer.     

Effect of CNFs content on the tribological behaviour of spark plasma sintering ceramic–CNFs composites

Alumina-carbon nanofibres (CNFs) and silicon carbide–CNFs nanocomposites with different volume fraction of CNFs (0–100 vol.%) were obtained by spark plasma sintering. The effect of CNFs content on the tribological behaviour in dry sliding conditions on the ceramic–carbon nanocomposites has been investigated using the ball-on-disk technique against alumina balls. The wear rate of ceramic–CNFs nanocomposites decreases with CNFs increasing content. The friction coefficient of the Al₂O₃/CNFs and SiC/CNFs nanocomposites with high CNFs content was found to be significantly lower compared to monolithic Al₂O₃ and SiC due to the effect of CNFs and unexpectedly slightly lower than CNFs material. The main wear mechanism in the nanocomposite was abrasion of the ceramic and carbon components which act in the interface as a sort of lubricating media. The experimental results demonstrate that the addition of CNFs to the ceramic composites significantly reduces friction coefficient and wear rate, resulting in suitable materials for unlubricated tribological applications.     

Characterisation of ZrO2 layers deposited on Al2O3 coating

The paper describes a method of coating combining two different layer types. The first layer is Al₂O₃ produced by plasma spraying with a thickness of around 200 μm which was deposited on a stainless steel substrate. Subsequently, ZrO₂ layers were deposited on to the Al₂O₃ coating by a sol–gel process using a dip coating technique. The dip coating process was repeated in order to see the influence of the number of ZrO₂ layers. Moreover, the effect of annealing temperature was investigated. In order to study their tribological behaviour, the coatings were subjected to micro-scale abrasion, scratch testing and ball-on-disc tests. The result shows that sol–gel ZrO₂ top layers reduce friction and enhance the wear resistance of the coating system.     

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.     

Microstructure and tribological characteristics of ZrO2–Y2O3 ceramic coatings deposited by laser-assisted plasma hybrid spraying

ZrO₂–Y₂O₃ ceramic coatings were deposited on AISI 304 stainless steel by both a low-pressure plasma spraying (LPPS) and a laser-assisted plasma hybrid spraying (LPHS). Microstructure and tribological characteristics of ZrO₂–Y₂O₃ coatings were studied using an optical microscope, a scanning electron microscope, and an SRV high-temperature friction and wear tester. The LPHS coatings exhibit distinctly reduced porosity, uniform microstructure, high hardness and highly adhesive bonding, although more microcracks and even vertical macrocracks seem to be caused in the LPHS coatings. The ZrO₂ lamellae in the LPHS coatings before and after 800°C wear test consist mainly of the metastable tetragonal (t′) phase of ZrO₂ together with small amount of c phase. The t′ phase is very stable when it is exposed to the wear test at elevated temperatures up to 800°C for 1 h. The friction and wear of the LPHS coatings shows a strong dependence on temperature, changing from a low to a high wear regime with the increase of temperature. At low temperatures, friction and wear of the LPHS coatings is improved by laser irradiation because of the reduced connected pores and high hardness in contrary to the LPPS coating. However, at elevated temperatures, the friction and wear of the LPHS coatings is not reduced by laser irradiation. At room temperature, mild scratching and plastic deformation of the LPHS coatings are the main failure mechanism. However, surface fatigue, microcrack propagation, and localized spallation featured by intersplat fracture, crumbling and pulling-out of ZrO₂ splats become more dominated at elevated temperatures.     

Dry Sliding Friction and Wear Characteristics of Cu-Sn Alloy Containing Molybdenum Disulfide

The wear and sliding friction response of a hybrid copper metal matrix composite reinforced with 10 wt% of tin (Sn) and soft solid lubricant (1, 5, and 7 wt% of MoS₂) fabricated by a powder metallurgy route was investigated. The influence of the percentages of reinforcement, load, sliding speed, and sliding distance on both the wear and friction coefficient were studied. The wear test with an experimental plan of six loads (5–30 N) and five sliding speeds (0.5–2.5 m/s) was conducted on a pin-on-disc machine to record loss in mass due to wear for two total sliding distances of 1,000 and 2,000 m. The results showed that the specific wear rate of the composites increased at room temperature with sliding distance and decreased with load. The wear resistance of the hybrid composite containing 7 wt% MoS₂ was superior to that of the other composites. It was also observed that the specific wear rates of the composites decreased with the addition of MoS₂. The 7 wt% MoS₂ composites exhibited a very low coefficient of friction of 0.35. The hardness of the composite increased as the weight percentage of MoS₂ increased. The wear and friction coefficient were mainly influenced by both the percentage of reinforcement and the load applied. Wear morphology was also studied using scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis.     

Frictional Characteristics of IF-WS2 Nanoparticles in Simulated Engine Conditions

The efficacy of inorganic fullerene-like (IF) tungsten disulfide (WS₂) nanoparticles as engine oil friction modifier additive was investigated using a high-stroke reciprocating piston ring–cylinder bore bench test system. Frictional characteristics of various IF-WS₂ nanoparticle concentrations in mineral oil were experimentally analyzed in simulated engine conditions controlling oil temperature, speed, and normal load. Though the effect of IF-WS₂ nanoparticles on piston ring and cylinder bore friction was minor in low concentrations, after a running period in a mixed lubrication regime with 10% additive, a considerable reduction in friction coefficient was observed when the IF-WS₂ formulated oil was used. This reduction remains to some extent with reference mineral oil after solvent cleaning of the mating components. The results show that a thin tribofilm gradually forms on the piston ring and the cylinder bore surfaces, reducing the friction coefficient in a mixed lubrication regime. However, in order to obtain the friction reduction there seems to be a threshold in the concentration of IF-WS₂ in mineral oil and film development period. The effects of lubrication regime, contact load, speed, and surface roughness on tribofilm formation are also discussed. The presence of WS₂ tribofilm formed on the piston ring and the cylinder bore surfaces was further verified using Raman spectroscopy.     

Experimental study of the speed-dependence tribotechnical characteristics of some plasma-sprayed oxide coatings at elevated temperatures

The effect of the sliding speed on friction and wear characteristics of plasma-sprayed ceramic coatings (Al₂O₃-13% TiO₂, ZrO₂-8% Y₂O₃, Al₂O₃-modified) was studied. Plasma-sprayed coatings are not hard and have high layered structure. Abrasion of coatings in the friction pair with steel and bronze counter-bodies occurs through brittle detachment conglomerated regions with low cohesive resistance. The modified coating (Al₂O₃) has the highest wear resistance and the lower coefficient of friction compared to the coatings (Al₂O₃-13% TiO₂, ZrO₂-8% Y₂O₃) in the studied velocity range (0.1–10 mm/s). Laser melting can be used as an efficient way of increasing the tribotechnical properties of plasma-sprayed oxide coatings.     

Effect of ZrO2 Nanoparticles Additive on the Tribological Behavior of Multialkylated Cyclopentanes

Monodisperse ZrO₂ nanoparticles with a particle size of about 6–7 nm and low volatile multialkylated cyclopentanes (MACs) lubricant were prepared and characterized. The effect of ZrO₂ nanoparticles as additive on the friction and wear behavior of MACs base oil was investigated. The friction and wear performance of 2 wt% ZrO₂ nanoparticles + MACs was evaluated using an Optimal SRV oscillating friction and wear tester, with a steel ball sliding against the same steel counterpart disc. Results indicate that the wear resistance and load-carrying capacity of MACs base oil were markedly raised and its friction coefficient changed little when 2 wt% ZrO₂ nanoparticles were added to it.     

The tribochemistry of silicon nitride: effects of friction, temperature and sliding velocity

In order to obtain information on the mechanisms of tribochemistry in silicon nitride, we studied the effects of chemical parameters (temperature and concentration of reagent) and tribological parameters (load and sliding speed) on the kinetics of the reaction, i.e. the rate of material removal. The temperature dependence of the wear rate of silicon nitride has been studied in several solutions. In CrO₃ and in KOH, the removal rate increases with temperature; the apparent activation energy is 20 kJ/mole in CrO₃ and 22 kJ/mole in KOH. In water, material removal is temperature independent, in KMnO₄, its rate decreases with increasing temperature. These changes are accompanied by parallel variations in the coefficient of friction. The reaction rate presents a complex dependence on the concentration of CrO₃ solutions. In water and CrO₃ solutions, we observed a strong dependence of friction and material removal rate with the load. With the changes in temperature, concentration and load, it is found that the reaction rate (in mm³/(N·m)) is linear with the coefficient of friction above a threshold value μ_th≈0.2. The velocity dependence is complicated by the phenomena of mixed lubrication. In all cases, the lack of solid wear particles and the production of ammonia have verified the tribochemical nature of the material removal. The mechanism of stimulation of the chemical reaction by friction is a quasi-static stretching of the bonds at the interface and a high local vibration energy of the atoms at the sliding contact.     

Friction and Wear Properties of ZrO2�CAl2O3 Composite with Three Layered Structure Under Water Lubrication

Zirconia?CAlumina (ZrO₂?CAl₂O₃) composite with three layered structure was prepared, and its friction and wear properties under water lubrication were investigated. The results indicate that the layered composite exhibited better tribological properties comparing with ZrO₂?CAl₂O₃ mono-layered composite at same tested conditions. Good combination of toughness and strength as well as subsequently excellent friction and wear properties were mainly contributed to the residual stress of the layered composite, which caused by thermal mismatch of sintering between layers through special design of compositions and structure. Friction coefficient and wear rate of the layered composite decreased with increment of load and/or velocity. The change of tribological properties was also relative to wear mechanisms, micro-cutting, and abrasive wear were main mechanisms at lower load and/or lower velocity but fatigue wear caused by plastic deformation became dominant at higher load and/or higher velocity.     

Effect of cutting atmosphere on dry machining performance with Al2O3/ZrB2/ZrO2 ceramic tool

In this paper, Al₂O₃/ZrB₂/ZrO₂ ceramic cutting tool was produced by hot pressing. Dry cutting tests in air and nitrogen atmospheres were carried out on normalized AISI 1045 steel. The tool wear, cutting temperature, cutting force, and friction coefficient were measured. Compared in nitrogen, the friction coefficient in air was reduced when the cutting speed was higher than 160 m/min. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis techniques were employed to observe the worn surfaces of the ceramic tools, and the wear mechanisms were simultaneously discussed. Experimental data and observations revealed the formation of oxide film under air in dry machining, which related to the decrease of the friction coefficient and the improvement of cutting performance.     

The effect of lubricant additives on friction and wear studies of polyphenylene sulphide

Polyphenylene sulphide is a polymer with good thermal stability and high crystallinity. This paper summarizes the results of friction and wear studies of polyphenylene sulphide and its composites made with conventional solid lubricants to ascertain the suitability of the material as a matrix for solid lubricant additives. The polymer itself has a high coefficient of friction. Wear rate increases with load and speed. Addition of solid lubricant additives helps in improving the friction and wear of the polymer. Composites with MoS₂-Sb₂O₃ and PTFE gave better results than composites made by the addition of graphite and MoS₂ graphite. Wear rate of these composites increased with load and speed; but load and speed had little effect on friction.     

Comparison of various C2Hx for high‐temperature lubrication by in situ pyrolysis

The ability of directed streams of three representative hydrocarbon gases ‐ acetylene C₂H₄, ethylene C₂H₄, and ethane C₂H₆ ‐ to provide extended‐duration lubrication to high‐temperature sliding contacts via surface deposition of pyrolytic carbon has been demonstrated. One order‐ and two order‐of‐magnitude reductions in friction coefficient and wear rate of self‐mated silicon nitride sliding contacts can be realised by this technique. The ability of these gases to provide ‘adequate’ lubrication at high temperature is illustrated through mapping the normal load/temperature/precursor flow rate space over which reduced friction may be maintained. Acetylene was the most effective precursor for pyrolytic carbon deposition, providing adequate lubrication over the broadest range of normal load/temperature/flow rate combinations, while ethane was the least effective. The boundary of the regions of adequate lubrication represents the locus of contact conditions with equal rates of lubricious carbon deposition and removal by wear. The shape of this boundary, as explored in the mapping study, supports a proposed model in which the removal rate is proportional to the product of normal load and sliding speed, while the deposition rate is proportional to the product of precursor flow rate and an Arrhenius temperature dependence.