A review of scuffing and running-in of lubricated surfaces, with asperities and oxides in perspective

The slow progress in the understanding of scuffing (scoring) and runningin of most lubricated surfaces is probably due to an inadequate understanding of the details of asperity deformation and oxide formation. The thickness and properties of oxides influence the stress states imposed on asperities as much as does the liquid lubricant, but the oxides are ignored in theories. Present theories also focus on adhesion as the cause of scuffing and they usually do not take account of the changing surface roughness during sliding. There may indeed be some evidence of adhesion in the later stages of damage but adhesion has not been demonstrated to be the initiating mechanism of scuffing. Plastic fatigue is the more likely explanation, and this can occur without atomic contact between the sliding surfaces.