| Abstract: | The early stages of wear of copper, mild steel, an alloy steel, and electroless nickel in the as-deposited and heat-treated conditions, with a load of 50 g against a dry nitrided steel wheel with a surface speed of 0.28 m s−1, were measured using a Talysurf and a precision relocation technique, and the worn surface was examined using scanning electron microscopy. Wear occurred mainly by abrasion. Extensive ploughing with cooper resulted in metal removal and redeposition on the surface. Rapid and severe removal of patches of material occurred witb mild steel, and fragments of the metal were redeposited on the surface. As-plated electroless nickel formed many small cracks in the wear tracks. These were absent in the heat-treated coating when surface damage occurred by brittle fracture of the Ni3P. Profilometry results taken during the wear tests were analysed and related to the microscopical results and the wear processes. |
