Effects of Surface Roughness Parameters on Tribological Performance for Micro-textured Eutectic Aluminum–Silicon Alloy

Abstract

Abstract Micro-textured samples with different depths exhibit various contact surface morphology parameters including Sa, Sq, Ssk, and Sku, and material ratio curves. In this paper, the relationship between micro-textures and roughness parameters was investigated. The effect mechanism of micro-textures on the friction and wear through the height and functional roughness parameters was elucidated. Micro-textured samples presented more negative Ssk, higher Sku, and larger Svk with the increasing dimple depth. The pin-on-disc reciprocating tribological test results indicated that the more negative Ssk, higher Sku, and larger Svk presented lower friction coefficient under the constant Sa and Sq. The wear topographies for the flat and micro-textured specimens with various dimple depths were examined by laser scanning confocal microscope. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was employed to describe the formation of absorbed film and tribofilm on the worn surface of flat and micro-textured samples. It was confirmed that more negative Ssk, higher Sku, and material ratio curves with their relative parameters (smaller value of Spk, Sk, Smr1, and larger value of Svk) could be used for predicting the tribological performance of micro-textured samples.