Fretting Wear Behavior of Cu–Al Coating on Ti-6Al-4V Substrate under Dry and Wet (Lubricated) Contact Condition

The fretting wear behavior of Cu–Al coating was investigated with and without fatigue load under the dry and wet (lubricated) contact conditions. The Cu–Al coating was plasma deposited on titanium alloy, Ti-6Al-4V. Fretting regime was determined from the shape of fretting hysteresis loop. Fretting regime changed from partial slip to total (gross) slip at ∼15 μm of the applied relative displacement, and this transition point was independent of fatigue loading and contact surface (lubricated versus dry) conditions. Wet contact condition reduced frictional force during cycling, as evidenced by the lower-tangential force. Wear analysis using the accumulated dissipated energy approach did not show any effect of contact surface condition. In other words, the relationship between the accumulated dissipated energy and wear volume showed a linear relationship, and it was independent of loading and contact surface conditions, as well as of the fretting regime. Further, the relationship between the wear depth and accumulated dissipated energy did not show any effect of loading and contact surface conditions, as well as of the fretting regime up to instant when the maximum wear depth was equal to the coating thickness. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the United State Air Force, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.