Dry Contact Conditions Research Articles

Frictional Properties of Biomimetic Micro-Hexagonal-Textured Surfaces Interacting with Soft Counterfaces under Dry and Wet Conditions.

Biomimetic micro-hexagonal-textured surfaces have sparked interest for their application in fields that demand high friction and adhesion, such as micro-robotics and biomedicine. Despite extensive research conducted on this specific microstructure, its friction behavior against soft counterfaces remains a topic that has not been fully investigated yet. This study examines how micro-hexagon textures behave when they come into contact with engineered and biological materials like gelatin and chicken skin in dry and wet conditions. The results show clearly that under dry contact conditions, flat surfaces generate higher friction compared to hexagon micropattern surfaces. Under wet conditions, hexagon micropattern surfaces generate higher friction compared to flat surfaces. In wet conditions specifically, the static coefficient of friction is up to 13 times greater than that of a flat specimen against glass, up to 11 times greater against gelatin, and up to 6 times greater against chicken skin. For the dynamic coefficient of friction, the patterned surface demonstrates a maximum increase by a factor of 28 against glass, 11 against gelatin, and 5 against chicken skin. These results further develop our knowledge of these hexagon micropattern surfaces and pave the way for their utilization in future technological advancements in which soft and wet counterfaces are to be considered, such as in biomedical applications that can benefit from increased friction in wet conditions for better control and stability.

Tribological behaviour of microindented 100Cr6 steel surfaces in dry contact conditions

In the present work, we studied the dry tribological behaviour of a 100Cr6 steel, the spherical surface of which was texturized with microindentation. The purpose of adopting a mechanical indentation technique on a non-planar surface was to simultaneously evaluate the effectiveness of adopting a fast, deformation-based technique for improving the contact tribological properties. Specifically, dimples were created using an automatic microhardness tester equipped with a Vickers indenter, setting a load of 0.5 N. Friction tests were performed at different speeds considering textured surfaces with two different void ratios (VRs). Textured and untextured surfaces were tested using a ball-on-disc tribometer. In addition, the effect of dimple size was evaluated by producing Vickers indented surfaces at a load of 5 N per each indentation, while keeping the VR values unchanged and testing the frictional properties of such surfaces at a fixed speed of 4.18 mm/s. Textured surfaces were deeply investigated to motivate the improvement of tribological properties. Notably, compared to the untextured samples, the microindented samples exhibited a much lower coefficient of friction (COF), with a friction reduction compared to the untextured case ranging from 45 to 65%, depending on the VR values. The adoption of large dimples allowed the reduction of the COF, already at smaller VR value but, in such a case, the presence of bulges at the edge of the dimple worsens the wear resistance of the counter surface. In addition to reducing the contact area and the capability to trap any debris in the dimples, the local measurement of strength allowed to clarify that the friction reduction is also determined by the work hardening effect produced by the microindentation texturing. Considering the significant improvements recorded in terms of COF and the high ability to indent even non-planar surfaces, the proposed approach can be considered very promising and, therefore, industrially applicable (e.g. using a specifically designed multi-indenter tool) to affect the friction behaviour of components, even locally, during both their use and their production.

Investigation of lubricant viscosity and third-particle contribution to contact behavior in dry and lubricated three-body contact conditions

The generation of third particles and change in viscosity lead to the gradual degradation of the performance of the machine interface. The generation of third particles may come from wear debris or environmental particles, which form a three-body contact system at the contact interface. The viscosity of the lubricant will also change with the long-term operation of the components. This paper uses a three-body lubrication model to study the influence and interaction of lubricant viscosity change and the presence of third particles on the contact characteristics, including the real contact area, the particle contact area ratio, the solid load percentage, the film thickness, and the evolution of the lubrication regime. The results show that when the interface is in a three-body mixed lubrication regime, the dimensionless total real contact area increases with the increase in particle size and density at the same lubricant viscosity, while the trend is the opposite in dry contact and boundary lubrication interfaces. When viscosity decreases, a three-body contact interface is more prone to entering boundary lubrication than a two-body contact interface, resulting in surface damage. Regardless of surface roughness, particle size, and dry or lubricated contact conditions, the turning point of the contact area (TPCA) phenomenon is usually when the ratio of particle size to surface roughness is 0.8–1.3. Under the same ratio of particle size to surface roughness, the critical load of the TPCA phenomenon increases with the increase in third-particle size and surface roughness, but decreases with the increase in lubricant viscosity and particle density.

Multi-objective optimisation of wheel-rail adhesion for high-speed trains with aerodynamic lift wings

A high-speed train with aerodynamic lift wings (aero-wings) is designed to improve train speed and mitigate energy consumption. Nevertheless, the impact of aero-wings on wheel-rail adhesion and safety remains uncertain. In this examination, a multi-body dynamics (MBD) model of a high-speed train integrated with aero-wings was first created. The influences of train speed, wheel-rail contact conditions, and aerodynamic lift on the wheel-rail adhesion, wheel wear, and dynamics performance were briefly investigated, indicating that aerodynamic lift degrades wheel-rail adhesion and dynamics performance but reduced wheel wear. Then, the multi-parameters matching optimisation design for sufficient wheel-rail adhesion and minimal wheel wear was conducted. The results indicate that, under dry contact and traction conditions, the minimum wear and optimal wheel-rail adhesion can be achieved when the train speed is about 440.62 km/h, the aerodynamic lift is about 24.48% of the vehicle weight, and the wheel wear optimisation rate is 25.38%. While the train speed of 549.54 km/h and an aerodynamic lift of 12.39% corresponds to the optimal results with wear reduction of 11.62%, under wet and braking conditions. This study provides valuable insights for determining aerodynamic load limits and formulating traction/braking control strategies for high-speed trains with aero-wings.

Investigating the formability of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy sheets at elevated temperatures using experimental and numerical methods

The high weight-to-strength ratio of AA6061 aluminum alloys presents increased potential applications in industries such as automotive and aircraft. However, its limited formability at room temperature (RT) restricts its usage. Therefore, in the conducted study, the formability of AA6061-T6 sheets with a thickness of 2 mm was investigated at different temperatures in the range of RT up to 300°C. Both experimental and numerical methods were employed to investigate the forming limit diagram (FLD) of an AA6061-T6 sheet. The tests were conducted using a non-isothermal Nakajima standard die under dry contact conditions. Two damage criteria, the Johnson–Cook and the ductile fracture criterion (DFC), were used in a thermomechanically coupled finite element analysis in Abaqus/Explicit to predict fracture in the AA6061 sheet. To examine the impact of temperature on the friction coefficient in the punch and sheet contact, an atomic force microscope was used to measure the roughness of the sheet, after the FLD tests, were conducted at different temperatures. Results indicate an increase in FLD levels from RT up to 100°C, followed by a decrease, for temperatures surpassing 100°C. Experimental findings underscored the significance of the adhesive wear at elevated temperatures, acting as a decisive factor that hampers the material flow and the sheet deformation, in the contact between the sheet and punch.

DEM simulation of single sand grain crushing in sanded wheel–rail contacts

In railways, low adhesion conditions lead to problems in braking and traction. Sanding increases adhesion by blasting sand grains towards the wheel–rail contact. Which physical mechanisms increase adhesion during sanding is poorly understood, as research in this field has been almost exclusively experimental. This work is the first step in developing a DEM model describing the sanding process. Previous experimental studies involve single grain crushing tests focusing on initial breakage and repeated breakage under realistic wheel–rail contact pressures of 900 MPa. Tests on two types of rail sand under dry and wet contact conditions, showed different spread of fragments as well as the formation of clusters of solidified fragments at high stresses. The developed DEM model captures the observed behaviour for both types of sand, and both contact conditions. Combining experimental research and DEM modelling aims to improve the understanding of adhesion increasing mechanisms in sanded wheel–rail contacts.

Effect of the Mechanical Properties of Soft Counter-Faces on the Adhesive Capacity of Mushroom-Shaped Biomimetic Microstructures.

The effects of mechanical properties and contact environment conditions on the adhesiveness of the biomimetic adhesive mushroom-shaped micro-structure have been experimentally investigated. The idea is based on the adhesive micro-structures and surfaces inspired by nature after observing the abilities of some animals. Applications are proposed in various fields of engineering and technology. However, to enable unconventional uses of these biomimetic adhesion surfaces, such as in the biomedical field, it is necessary to adjust and optimize their tribological properties (friction, adhesion, and peeling strength) in contact with soft substrates that can simulate the mechanical features of biological tissues. Our work explores the effect of the combinations of the various parameters on the strength of adhesion. Under dry contact conditions, soft counter-faces lead to lower adhesion than hard counter-faces, whereas under wet conditions, soft counter-faces lead to higher adhesion than harder counter-faces.

Nano and micro-indentation driven characterisation of asperity and bulk plasticity at the surface of modern premium rail steels

The plastic deformation behaviour of rail steels due to cyclic rail-wheel contacts is important to understand due to its connection to wear and rolling contact fatigue (RCF) damage initiation in service. Simulation models such as the ‘Layer’ and ‘Brick’ model have previously been developed to estimate the accumulation of plastic damage in a rail steel; however, the data available to drive these models is currently sparse, with limited applicability to modern rail steel grades. This paper presents the research examining the shear stress-strain curve relationships of rail steels derived from plastic shear strain and shear yield stress data collected from twin-disc test samples. A combination of microhardness and nanohardness testing was used to derive the shear yield stress data, whereas the plastic shear strain was acquired from optical microscopy. Six different conditions were investigated for this research for the purpose of examining how shear stress-strain curve relationships compared between the standard R260 and the premium HP335 and R350HT rail steels and how this compares to wear damage data. The influence of the maximum Hertzian contact pressure on the shear stress-strain curve relationships of R260 between 600 and 1500 MPa contact pressure was also investigated. The wear rate results derived from the mass loss in interrupted twin-disc tests showed HP335 wearing the least, followed by R350HT and then R260 for 1500 MPa, dry contact conditions. However, the highest shear yield stress achieved was for R350HT, then HP335, and R260. The results show that the shear stress-strain curve relationships by themselves are insufficient to determine rail steel wear performance in a laboratory environment. The shear stress-strain curve relationships for R260 collected under different contact pressures showed the results are near independent of the contact pressure within the range explored.

Frictional Response of Reinforced Polymers under Quasistatic and Fast-Transient Dry Contact Conditions

Reinforced polymers have recently gained interest because of their high stiffness associated with the classical features and cost-effectiveness of polymers. A further characteristic, suitable for several applications, is the possibility to provide high frictional and wear resistance. The frictional response of commercially available reinforced materials was here investigated in a wide range of contact boundary conditions. Experimental tests were performed on different test benches, to investigate the material frictional response under either quasistatic or fast-dynamic contact solicitations. While carbon-fiber-reinforced material exhibits a stable but low friction coefficient, the glass-fiber-reinforced material leads to the suitable combination of high friction and low wear. The PPS material, 40% (wt) glass-reinforced polymer, sliding against the Ti6Al4V titanium alloy, provided high static friction coefficients (>0.4). The same material pair was then tested in endurance under fast-dynamic contact solicitations, highlighting their resistance to wear.

Effect of third mediums on the formation and evolution of rail corrugation

In order to study the influence of third mediums on the formation and evolution behaviours of rail corrugation, two series of rolling-sliding tests were performed. Firstly, tests under the dry and different third mediums (oil, grease, water, friction modifier and windblown sand) conditions were conducted to study the influence of third mediums on the formation of rail corrugation. Secondly, rail rollers were first rolled under the dry condition until a stable rail corrugation was formed. Then, water and friction modifier were added into the wheel-rail interface to investigate the role of third mediums on the evolution behaviours of rail corrugation. The results indicated that third mediums had a significant influence on the wheel-rail damage and the formation and evolution of rail corrugation. Compared with the dry condition, both the mass losses and the damage of rail rollers were alleviated under third mediums conditions. The continuous application of third mediums at the wheel-rail interface could alleviate the formation of rail corrugation significantly. When non-solid third mediums existed at the wheel-rail interface (oil, grease, water and friction modifier), no corrugation was observed. In the dynamic windblown sand environment, the corrugation was obviously slighter than that under the dry contact condition. After corrugation was formed on the rail roller, the application of water and friction modifier could alleviate the amplitude of rail corrugation. Furthermore, with the increase in the number of cycles, the amplitude of rail corrugation first increased and then remained nearly stable. Under the dry contact condition, the crack length in the trough was larger than that in the crest. When liquid third mediums were applied, the cracks at the crest were ground away. However, some liquid would enter into the pre-existed crack in the trough, resulting in the severe rolling contact fatigue damage of rail.

Investigating the tribological and corrosion behavior of Co–Cr alloy as an implant material for orthodontic applications

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of using wrought cobalt-chromium (Co–Cr) alloy as a dental implant through a set of corrosion, immersion, and tribological behavior analyses. An artificial saliva solution was first prepared with varied pH levels between 4.8 and 9. The corrosive behaviors were analyzed from potentiodynamic tests using saliva samples with varied pH concentrations. The corrosion potential (Ecorr) shifted more negatively and had a slightly higher current density observed with a pH 4.8 acidic medium, demonstrating lower corrosion resistance than neutral (pH 6.9) and basic (pH 9) saliva solutions. The effect of artificial saliva on the surface roughness of the Co–Cr samples was investigated with a continuous immersion in the saliva solution for intervals of 7–28 days. Tribological tests were conducted using ball-on-flat type reciprocating friction and wear testing against an AISI 52100 steel ball. Two different sliding velocities under a constant load of 50 N were used to simulate contact conditions on implants under dry and saliva-lubricated conditions. The wear tracks were analyzed after the experiments using interferometry and microscopy techniques to analyze the wear mechanisms. No significant effects due to changing sliding velocity on dry frictional behavior were observed. Oxide layer generation during dry contact conditions and the formation of P and Ca-enriched tribofilms originating from the artificial saliva played a crucial role in the tribological behavior of the Co–Cr samples. The Co–Cr flat wear volume was significantly higher than the steel counterpart in dry conditions, unlike its performance in lubricated conditions, due to the predominant abrasive wear in the dry contacts. Corrosive wear in lubricated conditions using artificial saliva played an important role, along with abrasive and adhesive wear in both flat and ball samples. The deposition of P and Ca on the flat wear track was more predominant than on the steel ball surface. The ratio of wear volume between the steel balls and the Co–Cr flat samples in the lubricated tests was increased notably compared to dry conditions due to the effect of tribo-corrosion since artificial saliva (pH 4.8) had a higher corrosive impact on the steel ball than the Co–Cr alloy. These findings created new insights into the applicability of using a Co–Cr alloy as a dental implant due to enhanced corrosive and tribological properties. This detailed investigation on wrought Co–Cr alloys can be leveraged as a baseline for future Co–Cr alloy-based dental prosthetics development using metal additive manufacturing techniques.

Sanded Wheel–Rail Contacts: Experiments on Sand Crushing Behaviour

In railway operation, the sanding process is used to overcome low adhesion conditions in the wheel–rail contact. In the literature, previously conducted research has been experimental, e.g., measuring adhesion coefficients (ACs) under different contact conditions (dry, wet, …) or applying different sands. Under dry conditions, sanding can reduce measured ACs, while under wet conditions different types of rail sand can leave ACs unchanged or increase adhesion. Despite active research, the physical mechanisms causing the change in ACs under sanded conditions are still poorly understood. A possible remedy is the development of advanced models of sanding including local effects. As a basis for such a model, this study presents experimental results concerning single grain crushing behaviour of two types of rail sand under dry and wet contact conditions. Firstly, initial breakage behaviour is investigated with focus on the particle fragments’ size and spread as only fragments within the running band are available to influence the AC during roll-over. Secondly, single grain crushing tests are conducted under realistic wheel–rail load showing the formation of solidified clusters of sand fragments, as well as their size and thickness. This information is important for understanding mechanisms and for future physics-based modelling of the sanding process in wheel–rail contacts.

Cryogenic friction behavior of aluminum alloys sheets under dry contact condition

Friction is one of the most important boundary conditions in aluminum alloys cryogenic deep drawing. The friction coefficient of AA5052 sheets under dry contact condition was measured at room temperature (RT) to − 190 °C. The friction behavior of aluminum alloys sheets during cryogenic deep drawing process was revealed by analyzing the macro and micro friction morphologies of sheets and tools surfaces. The results showed that the mean friction coefficient first increased and then decreased with decreasing temperature. Adhesive friction and plowing friction showed opposite trends with decreasing temperature at friction stable phase. The adhesive friction first decreased and then increased, while the plowing friction first increased and then decreased. In addition, the cryogenic temperature inhibited the adhesion tendency of aluminum alloys.

Electrification effects on dry and lubricated sliding wear of bearing steel interfaces

In electric vehicles' powertrains, bearings can be susceptible to failure more rapidly than some of the other components mainly because of accelerated fatigue, corrosion and wear. Specifically, due to much severe operating conditions (including high speeds, torques, temperatures) of such vehicles combined with the presence of an electrical environment in which uncontrollable or stray electrical currents discharge through the contact interfaces can further exacerbate the situation and reduce their service lives by triggering much severe adhesive, abrasive and oxidative wear. In this work, we explore the effects of DC current discharges through the contact interfaces of AISI 52100 bearing steel using a novel two-electrode cell-based micro-abrasion tester under electrified dry and boundary lubricated contact conditions. A mineral base oil (as a reference), a gear oil and an automatic transmission fluid (ATF) with different dielectric strengths were tested under unelectrified and DC electrified (1.5 A) conditions. Overall, our test results suggest that passing DC current increases coefficient of friction (CoF) and wear of dry sliding contacts while it slightly reduces CoF but increases wear significantly for lubricated contacts due to accelerated oxidation by electrification. SEM, Raman spectroscopy and non-contact optical profilometry were used for analyzing the physical and chemical nature of worn surfaces and understanding of the specific wear modes and mechanisms.

DLC-Coated Thermoplastics: Tribological Analyses Under Dry and Lubricated Sliding Conditions

The purpose of this study was to increase the limited wear resistance of polymers in highly stressed tribological contacts. Therefore, diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings were firstly developed and deposited on polymers. The development of the low temperature coating process was conducted on an industrial scale coating unit. Due to the use of polyether ether ether ketone (PEEK) and polyamide as substrate material, the coatings were tailored in accordance with different mechanical properties of the polymers. Furthermore, analyses regarding morphology, roughness as well as compound adhesion between coatings and polymers were conducted. The tribological analyses were accomplished for reciprocating sliding kinematics on pin-on-plate tribometer under dry conditions as well as boundary lubricated conditions. The results prove the ability of the coatings to undergo high plastic deformations without delamination. In addition, the possible formation of a composite layer of DLC and PEEK in the wear track due to high energy input under dry conditions was shown. Furthermore, the transformations of sp2 chain into ring bindings as well as a change of size and distribution of the sp2 clusters during dry contact conditions were observed.

Adhesive Wear and Frictional Performance of Banana Fibre Reinforced Epoxy (BaFRE) Composite.

This current work is an attempt to investigate the tribological performance of banana fibre-reinforced epoxy (BaFRE) composite in dry contact conditions. The test is conducted on a wear test rig of type Block on Ring (BOR) based on ASTM G77, G137-95 standard. Different applied normal loads (5–30 N) subjected to a stainless steel counterface at different sliding speeds (1.7–3.96 m/s) and fixed sliding distance of 6.72 km were set as the experimental parameters. The test was conducted using neat epoxy (NE) as the control tests’ specimen while BaFRE composite was in anti-parallel (AP) and parallel (P) fibre strips orientation (O). The specific wear rate (Ws), friction coefficient, temperature variation and surface roughness (RA) of the NE and BaFRE composite in AP-O and P-O were investigated. The worn surface morphology of the test samples was examined under a high-resolution metallurgy microscope. The outcome of the work revealed that AP-O exhibited excellent wear performance when compared to P-O and NE. Moreover, the lowest friction coefficient of 0.0121 is achieved when AP-O is subjected to 30 N of applied load and 3.96 m/s of sliding velocity. BaFRE composite in AP-O demonstrated the lowest range of temperature variation when it was subjected to 30 N at 3.96 m/s of counterface sliding velocity. Due to the high shear resistance at the rubbing zone incurred by the AP-O test specimen and counterface, the RA values were remarkably high for the test specimen (i.e., 1.122 µm) and the counterface wear track zone (0.166 µm) as compared to the P-O and NE test samples. The predominant wear mechanism for the AP-O test specimen was plastic deformation, detached fibre, micro crack, minor fibre debonding and micro ploughing. In conclusion, there are improvements in terms of wear and friction performance of the composite when banana fibres are used as a reinforced element in epoxy resin. The improvement in Ws and friction coefficient for the AP test specimen was 29.4% and 48.6%, respectively, as compared to NE at 30 N of applied load, 6.72 km of sliding distance and 2.83 m/s of sliding speed.

Anti-Skid Characteristics of Asphalt Pavement Based on Partial Tire Aquaplane Conditions.

This study presented a finite element model of radial tire–asphalt pavement interaction using ABAQUS 6.14 software to investigate the skid resistance properties of asphalt pavement under partial tire aquaplane conditions. Firstly, the pavement profile datum acquired by laser scanning were imported to Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software to conduct the pavement modeling. Secondly, a steady state rolling analysis of a tire on three types of asphalt pavements under drying conditions was carried out. Variation laws of the friction coefficient of the radial tire on different pavements with different pavement textures, tire pressures, and loads on the tire were examined. Subsequently, calculation results of the steady state rolling analysis were transmitted to dynamic explicit analysis, and an aquaplane model of a radial tire on asphalt pavements was built by inputting the flow Euler grids. The tire–pavement adhesive characteristics under partial aquaplane conditions are discussed regarding the aquaplane model. Influences of the thickness of water film, the texture of asphalt pavement, and the rolling speed of the tire on the vertical pavement-tire contact force are analyzed. It is found that the vertical contact force between open graded friction course (OGFC) pavement and tire is the highest, followed by stone mastic asphalt (SMA) pavement and dense graded asphalt concrete (AC) pavement surface. The vertical contact force between tire and pavement will be greatly reduced, even with increasing speed or water film thickness. As tire speed increases from 70 km/h to 130 km/h, the tire–pavement contact force is reduced by about 25%. Moreover, when the thickness of water film increases from 0 (dry condition) to 4 mm and then to 12 mm, the vertical contact force reduced 50% and 15%, respectively, compared with under the dry contact condition. This study provided a key theoretical reference for safe driving on wet pavements.

Effect of Fiber Orientation on the Tribological Performance of Abaca-Reinforced Epoxy Composite under Dry Contact Conditions

This paper presents tribological research of an abaca fiber-reinforced epoxy composite material, analyzing fiber orientation and its effect on the tribological performances of the composite. The extremely low viscosity epoxy resin reinforced with NaOH-treated long abaca fibers is investigated under the different operating conditions. The unidirectional abaca fibers reinforced the epoxy resin and formed composite specimens with fibers in three directions, parallel (P-O), anti-parallel (AP-O) and normal (N-O), while keeping the sliding direction. The specimens were fabricated using fiber volume fractions of 10 vol%, 20 vol% and 30 vol% using the vacuum infusion technique. The block-on-disc (BOD) apparatus has been used to exhibit the tribological tests. Normal loads of 35 N and 45 N have been used for testing purposes. The experimental results indicated that the presence of abaca fiber significantly improved the wear characteristics of the matrix. An increased coefficient of friction was observed in samples with anti-parallel-oriented fibers at an applied load of 35 N. The conducted research shows that the use of abaca fibers as fillers could improve the tribological characteristics of the epoxy resin-based composite material.

Study of rolling contact fatigue, rolling and sliding wear of class B wheel steels against R350HT and R260 rail steels under dry contact conditions using the twin disc setup

There is an increased demand for railway services, which has resulted in an increase in speeds and axle loads. The increase in axle loads and speeds have resulted in an increase in severity of wheel and rail wear. The aim of this work was to investigate wear and rolling contact fatigue (RCF) performance of class B wheels against R350HT and R260 rail under different slip ratio using a twin-disc setup. The results showed that severity of wear was heavily dependent on slip ratio. It was found that class B wheels’ wear rate was better against R260 rail than against R350HT rail. Three wear regimes were identified from plots of wear rate versus wear index (Tγ/A) being mild, severe and catastrophic.

Thermal and Sliding Wear Properties of Wood Waste-Filled Poly(Lactic Acid) Biocomposites.

In our study, the effects of wood waste content (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 wt.%) on thermal and dry sliding wear properties of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) biocomposites were investigated. The wear of developed composites was examined under dry contact conditions at different operating parameters, such as sliding velocity (1 m/s, 2 m/s, and 3 m/s) and normal load (10 N, 20 N, and 30 N) at a fixed sliding distance of 2000 m. Thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated that the inclusion of wood waste decreased the thermal stability of PLA biocomposites. The experimental results indicate that wear of biocomposites increased with a rise in load and sliding velocity. There was a 26–38% reduction in wear compared with pure PLA when 2.5 wt.% wood waste was added to composites. The Taguchi method with L25 orthogonal array was used to analyze the sliding wear behavior of the developed biocomposites. The results indicate that the wood waste content with 46.82% contribution emerged as the most crucial parameter affecting the wear of PLA biocomposites. The worn surfaces of the biocomposites were examined by scanning electron microscopy to study possible wear mechanisms and correlate them with the obtained wear results.