Sliding friction and wear behaviour of several nickel aluminide alloys under dry and lubricated conditions

Abstract

Sliding friction and wear test data were obtained on a series of alloys based on nickel aluminide (Ni 3Al) as part of an effort to evaluate the potential of these alloys as bearing materials. The nickel aluminide alloys tested were those that have been receiving recent commercial interest and include IC-50, IC-74M, IC-218, IC-221 and IC-396M. Counterface materials included AISI 52100 steel, M-50 tool steel, polycrystalline alumina, silicon nitride, and the alloys IC-50 and IC-396M. Several testing configurations were used: ball-on-rotating-flat disc, oscillating ball on flat, and oscillating cylinder on flat. Most tests were performed in laboratory air under unlubricated conditions at temperatures up to 923 K (650°C), but one series of runs was performed under liquid-lubricated conditions. Not all alloys were tested in every geometry or at every temperature because the results presented here were collected from several different studies. Of all alloys tested at 923 K, IC-74M wear resistance improved most as temperature increased. The friction and wear of both steel and silicon nitride on IC-50 and IC-396M were significantly benefited by lubrication. Tables of data summarize the friction coefficients and wear rates for a range of temperatures and material pairings. In general, the nickel aluminides appear to offer a significant potential for use as bearing materials.