| Abstract: | The original aim of this work was to identify characteristic wear debris from systems which scuff. The wear debris was identified but could not be considered characteristic as similar debris has been observed in delamination wear. During the metallographic examination of scuffed surfaces, a featureless white layer both on and below the surface was observed. This white layer was similar to adiabatic shear bands. It is suggested that the white layer is a form of microscopic friction weld between asperities. This implies that scuffing is a result of hot welding rather than cold welding, as accepted at present. The tests showed that the trapping and subsequent adhesion of wear debris onto the contact surfaces is a negligible factor in the overall wear process in this system. |
