Three-body Abrasion Research Articles

Quantitative characterization of rubber three-body abrasion wear: multi-scale testing and analysis methods based on defect detection

Abrasive wear is one of the main causes of rapid deterioration of rubber serviceability. Therefore, it is necessary to obtain information on the degree of rubber abrasion and the wear mechanism. Due to the complex nature of abrasive surfaces, obtaining accurate information on rubber abrasion is often difficult and provides limited quantitative parameters. This study presents a method to quantify rubber abrasion through defect detection and analysis. Accurate and fast identification of typical abrasion defects is achieved, and in addition, macro- and microscopic characterization data are provided based on the distribution of defects to understand the degree of abrasion and the wear mechanism. Experimental validation demonstrated the fast and accurate characterization capability of the method, especially the advanced advantages at the microscopic level. The method achieves accurate and efficient characterization of rubber abrasion, which helps to advance the study of rubber tribological behavior and is important for guiding engineering applications and improving design.

The Abrasive Effect of Moon and Mars Regolith Simulants on Stainless Steel Rotating Shaft and Polytetrafluoroethylene Sealing Material Pairs.

For space missions to either the Moon or Mars, protecting mechanical moving parts from the abrasive effects of prevailing surface dust is crucial. This paper compares the abrasive effects of two lunar and two Martian simulant regoliths using special pin-on-disc tests on a stainless steel/polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sealing material pair. Due to the regolith particles entering the contact zone, a three-body abrasion mechanism took place. We found that friction coefficients stabilised between 0.2 and 0.4 for all simulants. Wear curves, surface roughness measurements, and microscopic images all suggest a significantly lower abrasion effect of the Martian regoliths than that of the lunar ones. It applies not only to steel surfaces but also to the PTFE pins. The dominant abrasive micro-mechanism of the disc surface is micro-ploughing in the case of all tests, while the transformation of the counterface is mixed. The surface of pin material is plastically transformed through micro-ploughing, while the material is removed through micro-cutting due to the slide over hard soil particles.

Friction and Wear Behavior of 3D-Printed Inconel 718 Alloy under Dry Sliding Conditions

Tailor-made materials used for advanced applications are nowadays of great research interest in various industrial and technological fields, ranging from aerospace and automotive applications to consumer goods and biomedical components. In the present research, Inconel 718 superalloy specimens were fabricated by the selective laser melting (SLM) technique. Structural characterization of the 3D-printed samples showed that they consisted of γ solid solution along with spherical carbide particles. To explore the applicability of these materials in abrasive tribological applications, reciprocating sliding tests were performed under dry conditions versus an Al2O3 counter-body. A 3D representation (triboscopy) of the tangential force during each sliding cycle was carried out in order to obtain better insight on the evolution of friction and to visualize localized tribological phenomena. Quantification of wear was performed with confocal microscopy and the wear mechanisms were analyzed with SEM and EDS techniques. Furthermore, the effect of surface finishing (as-printed and polished) on friction and wear were also investigated, and a comparison with other industrial materials is also included to evaluate the applicability of these alloys. The results indicated that surface finishing had an effect on friction during the run-in stage, whereas in steady-state conditions, no significant differences were observed between the as-printed and polished specimens. In all cases, the main wear mechanisms observed were a mixture of two-body and three-body abrasion, along with oxidative wear (indicated by the formation of an oxide-based tribo-layer).

Exploring wear resistance: Three-body abrasion evaluation of HVOF-sprayed TiC and CoNi coatings on SS316 steel

This study investigated the performance of High-Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF)-sprayed Titanium Carbide (TiC) and TiC + 50C (50%TiC + 50%CoNi) coatings on SS316 steel under three-body abrasion conditions. The microstructural analysis revealed a homogeneous distribution of TiC particles within the TiC coatings, while the TiC + 50C coatings exhibited a more complex microstructure due to the presence of Co-Ni alloy. Mechanical testing demonstrated the superior microhardness of TiC coatings compared to the SS316 substrate, suggesting enhanced wear resistance. Slurry abrasion tests indicated reduced mass loss rates for both TiC and TiC + 50C coatings compared to uncoated SS316 steel, with TiC coatings exhibiting superior resistance to abrasive wear. Post-abrasion examination revealed distinct wear patterns, including abrasive chipping, plowing marks, crater formation, wear traces, and surface ruggedness.

Synthesis and tribological assessment of oil-based nanolubricants blended with nano-zeolite for steel–steel contact

This study aims to synthesize zeolite with nano-sized morphology and investigate the tribological performance of nano-zeolite as a lubricating additive dispersed in an oil-based lubricant. Tribological tests were performed and morphologies of wear tracks were characterized to investigate the friction reduction and anti-wear properties of zeolite, respectively. The lubrication mechanism was discussed by illustrating the effects of concentration and particle size on the tribological behavior of zeolite. The optimal concentration of nano-zeolite to improve the tribological performance of the base oil was 2 wt.%, which exhibited a friction reduction of 34.3%. Zeolite particles with larger diameters showed better dispersion stability but worse lubrication performance, which could be concluded from the decrease in the friction reduction ratio. Moreover, the friction coefficient under the lubrication of zeolite at 200°C was 15.8% lower than that of the pure base oil, demonstrating the thermal stability of zeolite. Notably, the application of zeolite resulted in an increase in wear depth due to the occurrence of the three-body abrasion, while the surface asperities of the counterpart were also smoothed in the meantime. This work demonstrates the potential of nano-zeolite to enhance the tribological performance of oil-based lubricants in industrial applications, which could be attributed to their porous structure, lipophilicity, and chemical–thermal stability.

Composition and treatment of wear resistant steel for application in mining industry

The service life of machines in the mining industry is in the most cases determined by wear rate of parts in contact with the rock and soil. This work demonstrates the results of investigation on wear resistance of high-carbon low-alloy steel under abrasive wear. Steel samples containing 1.2 wt.% of carbon, 3 wt.% of manganese and 2 wt.% of silicon were hardened from 900 °C and 1000 °C and subjected to two-body and three-body abrasion tests. It has been established that after heat treatment this steel has increased abrasive wear resistance due to the phase transformation of unstable austenite into deformation-induced martensite. The results of study of near-surface region microstructure of samples after wear are presented. X-ray diffraction analysis and measurement of the microhardness of the worn surface were also carried out. It has been established that during abrasive wear a continuous layer of deformation martensite with a microhardness of 1300-1400 HV 0.05 is formed at a depth of up to 10 μm. Such a microhardness significantly exceeds the microhardness of quenching martensite. The results of the work can be used to increase the service life of wear parts of mining equipment.

Wear of the ultrahard B4C–SiC–TiB2 ceramic composite in unlubricated sliding contact with ceramic counter-parts

The wear performance of the ultrahard B4C–SiC–TiB2 ceramic composite was investigated in unlubricated sliding contact in various friction pairs with other ceramics of very different mechanical properties (diamond, Y2O3-stabilised ZrO2, Al2O3, Si3N4, and borosilicate glass) under otherwise identical contact conditions. It was found that this composite is, due to its ultra-high hardness (∼35(1) GPa), a promising material for tribological applications (sliding-wear resistance of the order of 105–108 (N·m)/mm3) that undergoes only very mild two-body abrasion against diamond (∼6.5(7)·10−9 mm3/(N·m)) and mild three-body abrasion against ZrO2, Al2O3, Si3N4, and borosilicate glass (10−6–10−7 mm3/(N·m)). It was also found that the B4C–SiC–TiB2 composite wore faster against Si3N4 (∼3.1(3)·10−6 mm3/(N·m)) than against Al2O3 (∼1.8(3)·10−6 mm3/(N·m)), next against borosilicate glass (∼1.1(1)·10−6 mm3/(N·m)), and finally slowest against ZrO2 (∼7.2(6)·10−7 mm3/(N·m)), a trend that was justified based on the consideration that its three-body abrasion is a complex phenomenon conditioned by the abundance and hardness of the wear debris, the formation and coherence of protective tribolayers (either oxide or material transfer), and the effective contact pressure acting on the wear debris. Finally, implications arising from the study are presented.

Surface Design of 3D-printed Polyether Ether Ketone for Abrasive Wear Resistance

The surface features of additively manufactured polymer parts differ compared to extruded polymer parts and decide their performance in terms of power transmission applications. Layer thickness is one of the important process parameters chosen based on the part complexity and production speed, influencing the surface features. The abrasive wear performance of high-performance polyether ether ketone (PEEK), which determines the performance of power transmission elements such as bearings and gears, is reported in this article. The layer thickness employed in fabrication, which varies from 0.1 mm to 0.35 mm, influences the surface roughness, real contact area, and hardness of the as-printed PEEK. The friction coefficient and wear resistance of a printed part are influenced by the layer thickness employed, indicating the need for a proper choice of layer thickness for power transmission applications. Samples printed with a layer height of 0.25 mm and higher exhibited an increase of friction coefficient and wear loss due to the weak surface integrity. The friction and wear characteristics of additive manufactured samples are compared with extruded samples. Wear debris accommodation in the grooves of the as-printed surfaces accelerates the wear due to three-body abrasion in high layer thickness samples. The micromechanisms of wear damage in different layer thickness samples are discussed. The observations indicate the strong influence of layer thickness and facilitate the selection of appropriate layer thickness for the required friction coefficient in a particular application.

Effects of TiB2 content on microstructural evolution, microhardness and tribological behaviours of Al matrix composites reinforced with TiB2 particles

In this study, Al2024/TiB2 composites with different TiB2 fractions (5, 10 and 15 vol%) were fabricated by high-energy ball milling and spark plasma sintering. The effects of TiB2 fraction on the microstructure, hardness and wear resistance of the composites were explored to determine the optimal TiB2 content in the composite with optimal properties. An increase in Vickers hardness of the composites correlates with the increased TiB2 content, and the Al2024-15TiB2 composite exhibits the highest hardness. The wear rate of the composite initially increases and then decreases with higher TiB2 content. Notably, the Al2024-10TiB2 composite demonstrates the best wear resistance with a wear rate of 1.14 × 10−4 mm³/Nm, representing a 96.81 % reduction compared to the unreinforced Al2024. The deteriorated wear resistance of the Al2024-15TiB2 composite was attributed to the decreased toughness and severe three-body abrasion caused by the excessive TiB2 particles.

High-speed laser cladding: new developments for wear and corrosion protection

Fusion-bonded and low-diluted overlay welded coatings are frequently very thick (>1mm), which results in high material consumption (kg/m2) and expenses. High-speed laser cladding is a novel process, which can produce thin fusion-bonded and low-diluted coatings with high coverage rates and low heat input. Coating materials utilized in high-speed cladding have varied from soft Ni-based superalloys to harder martensitic stainless steels and base materials from low alloy steels to austenitic stainless steels. The ultimate objective has been to develop crack-free alternatives to environmentally hazardous hard-chrome plating. In this paper, high-speed laser cladding was used to fabricate relatively thin Ni-based coatings on various cast irons for corrosion protection and Ni-based hard-faced coatings reinforced with chromium (Cr3C2) and tungsten carbides (WC/W2C), for the first time, onto low-alloy structural and quenched & tempered steels for wear applications. Obtained coatings were characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical (OM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Corrosion performances were explored in long-term salt spray tests. Mechanical and wear properties were tested with Vickers microhardness measurements and three-body dry-sand rubber wheel abrasion tests (RWAT). It was shown that soft low-diluted Ni-based coatings protected the cast iron base materials in salt spray tests. Ni-based hard-faced coatings with hardness up to 1200 HV1 exhibited high wear resistance in low-stress three-body abrasion better than hard-chrome plated coating, which was attributed to the high volume fraction of hard carbide reinforcements.

Evolution in microstructure and tribological behavior of laser cladded MoxNbTiZr high-entropy refractory alloy coatings with varying Mo content

The effect of the Mo element on the Ni-Ti-Zr refractory high-entropy alloy (RHEA) coatings synthesized by laser cladding were explored in terms of microstructural evolution and tribological behavior assessed by material characterization techniques and drying sliding wear tests. The findings reveal that MoxNbTiZr RHEA coatings, comprising of body center cubic (BCC) matrix phase and several hexagonal close packed (HCP) phases, have a dendrite microstructure with Mo, Nb-rich dendritic region (DR) and Zr-rich interdendritic region (IR), affected by Mo-induced thermodynamic instability. The micro-segregation between DR and IR becomes serious by the synergy effect of melting point difference, diffusion rate, and mixing enthalpy. The microhardness of the RHEA coating has a linear relationship with Mo content, with the highest value of 732.67 HV at x = 1.0. Nanotwins induced by residual stress, high cooling rate, solid-solution strengthening, fine-grain strengthening, and second-phase strengthening, cause microhardness improvement. Due to the generation of the destructive oxide layer and rising coating brittleness, the wear rate rises from 1.66 × 10−4 mm3/(N·m) to 3.75 × 10−4 mm3/(N·m). The wear mechanism of the MoxNbTiZr coatings shifts from oxidation wear to abrasive wear and eventually to three-body abrasion and severe brittle micro-peeling. Among these coatings, Mo0.6NbTiZr exhibits the optimal performance with excellent comprehensive characteristics.

Investigation of phase transition, tribological behavior and wear mechanisms of WC-enhanced biphase eutectic high entropy alloy by fast hot pressing sintering

The wear resistance of materials is crucial in mechanical component design, but there has been limited research on the tribological behavior of WC-reinforced high entropy alloy(HEA) to date. Therefore, this study used fast hot pressing sintering to fabricate WC/AlCoCrFeNi2.1 metal matrix composites (MMCs). It was observed that: 1. The HEAs matrix had a biphase eutectic structure with FCC and BCC phases, while the interfacial layer consisted of M7C3 and M23C6 (M=Cr, W). 2. MMCs showed proportional increases in microhardness, nanoindentation and wear resistance with reinforced particle addition. 3. During frictional processes, an oxide film formed providing material protection, enhancing stability and reducing friction-induced losses. Adhesive wear, abrasive wear, and three-body abrasion were identified as primary types of observed wear.

Tribological and electrochemical performances of HVOF sprayed NbC-NiCr coatings

A wide range of mechanical parts are protected against wear and corrosion by thermally sprayed WC- or Cr3C2-based hardmetals. However, little is known about the potential of other hardmetal coating formulations. Since promising results were obtained with bulk NbC-based hardmetal cutting tools, in this work we investigated NbC-based coatings, which have not been reported yet in the literature. NbC particles were homogeneously dispersed with volume fractions of 25 % and 40 % in a Ni-20wt.%Cr matrix by mechanical alloying, and the resulting powders were sprayed onto stainless steel substrates by the High-Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) process.Irrespective of the process parameters, the coatings exhibit low porosity (<1 vol%) and hardness values of about 900 HV0.3 (NbC-25NiCr) and 1000 HV0.3 (NbC-40NiCr). The composition with higher amount of NbC phase is less hard because its greater brittleness results in cracking during indentation.The sliding wear resistance of the NbC-based coatings, tested by ball-on-disc tribometry from room temperature up to 600 °C, is generally intermediate between that of WC-CoCr and Cr3C2-NiCr references, and it is usually comparable to that of TiC-NiCr, another type of alternative hardmetal coating, tested in our previous work. Though the NbC-NiCr coatings exhibited limited three-body abrasion resistance due to the occurrence of some brittle fracture together with ductile grooving, they offer a particularly interesting performance at 400 °C, with lower wear rates than Cr3C2-NiCr and TiC-NiCr.Additionally, the NbC-NiCr coatings tested in this work, especially the one with 40 vol% matrix phase, exhibit excellent corrosion resistance. Corrosion current densities (~0.1 μA/cm2) and passive current densities (<1 μA/cm2), both obtained by electrochemical polarization tests, were lower than the corresponding values found for all reference coatings (WC-CoCr, Cr3C2-NiCr and TiC-NiCr),Thus, the NbC-NiCr coatings are promising for applications where a good balance between corrosion resistance and wear resistance over a range of temperatures is required.

Surface Properties of Resin Composites and CAD/CAM Blocks After Simulated Toothbrushing.

This study aimed to evaluate the surface gloss, surface roughness, and color change of restorative materials after a three-body wear abrasion. Four resin composites with different filler particle size (Gracefil Flo [GFF, 0.7 μm], Gracefil LoFlo [GFL, 0.25 μm], Gracefil ZeroFlo [GFZ, 0.15 μm], and Gracefil Putty [GFP, 0.3 μm]), two CAD/CAM resin composite blocks with different filler particle size (Cerasmart 300 [CS3, 0.7 μm] and Cerasmart Prime [CSP, 0.3 μm], GC), and one CAD/CAM lithium disilicate glass-ceramic block (Initial LiSi Block [ILS], GC) as a control were evaluated. Twenty slab-shaped specimens were obtained from each material. Ten specimens were subjected to 80,000 toothbrushing strokes and measured for surface gloss (Gloss Unit, GU), surface roughness (Ra, μm), and color (L*, a*, and b* values) before toothbrushing and at every 20,000 strokes. Color differences (ΔL*, Δa*, Δb*, and ΔE00) before and after toothbrushing were calculated. After 80,000 strokes, abraded surfaces were observed using scanning electron microscopy. The other 10 specimens were measured for Vickers microhardness (VHN). After 80,000 toothbrushing strokes, the mean GU ranged from 60.43 to 16.12 (the highest for ILS and lowest for GFL), and the mean Ra ranged from 0.079 to 4.085 (the lowest for ILS and highest for GFL). At all measuring stages, the calculated ΔE00 values ranged from 0.31 to 0.92 for all materials. The mean VHN ranged from 632.34 to 39.08 (the highest for ILS and lowest for GFZ). The resin composite containing the largest filler particle (GFF) showed significantly lower Ra and higher VHN than other resin composites (GFL, GFZ, and GFP). The CAD/CAM resin composite block containing a smaller filler particle (CSP) retained significantly higher GU than that containing a larger filler particle (CS3). A negative correlation between GU and Ra was detected. Based on the findings, toothbrush abrasion induced a decrease in GU and an increase in Ra for all resin-based materials tested. Resin-based materials with larger filler size tended to show lower Ra, while resin-based materials with smaller filler size tended to show a smaller reduction in GU. These were more pronounced for light-cure resin composites than for resin composite blocks for CAD/CAM.

Investigation on Three-Body Abrasion Resistance of Mild Steel Soil Slurry Condition-Simulating Agricultural Condition

The agricultural industry heavily relies on machinery and equipment for efficient farming practices, but harsh environmental conditions can cause premature wear and tear, leading to financial losses. Three-body abrasion research is essential for developing more durable materials for various industries, including agriculture. Mild steel is commonly used in agricultural machinery but lacks resistance to moisture and corrosion. Slurry handling equipment is prone to wear due to abrasive particles, and red soil presents challenges for farmers. A study was conducted to investigate the wear resistance of mild steel under three-body abrasion under slurry conditions, simulating real-life agricultural environments. Different loads and operating durations were considered, and SEM was used to examine the worn surfaces. Weight loss during sliding wear was found to increase proportionally with duration and applied load. Increasing load leads to more severe wear due to higher shear forces and the formation of nucleation sites for wear particles. There is an increase in the weight loss by about 8 times when the applied load increased from 10 N to 70 N. The slurry regime and rotational speeds also affect wear rate, with higher speeds leading to deeper penetration of abrasive particles and greater impact force. The severity of wear increases with time and different wear mechanisms dominating at different durations, as observed through the SEM analysis. These findings emphasize the importance of considering load, slurry regime, and rotational speed when designing materials for sliding wear applications.

High-speed laser cladding of chromium carbide reinforced Ni-based coatings

Fusion-bonded and low-diluted overlay welded coatings are frequently very thick (>1mm). High-speed laser cladding is a novel process capable of producing thin fusion-bonded and low-diluted coatings with high coverage rates and low heat input. In this study, for the first time, high-speed laser cladding was used to fabricate relatively thin Ni-based coatings reinforced with chromium carbides onto low-alloy structural and quenched and tempered steels. Obtained coatings were characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical (OM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), as well as electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Mechanical and wear properties were tested with Vickers microhardness measurements and three-body dry-sand rubber wheel abrasion tests (RWAT). It was shown that high-speed laser cladding produces 0.2–0.3-mm-thick coatings, which consist of ultrafine-substructured hypereutectic M7C3 structures reinforced with coarser primary Cr3C2 particles. Coatings with hardness up to 1300 HV0.05 exhibited high wear resistance in low-stress three-body abrasion. Coatings developed can be used as alternatives for hard-chrome plated coatings.

Tribology dependence on both structures of bulk a-C:H:Si films and transfer layer via adjustable Si content

Si doped hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H:Si) films were fabricated in mixed atmosphere of SiH4 and Ar by magnetron sputtering methods, with different SiH4 flow rates. The microstructures and tribological performances were measured by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Raman Spectroscopy and Tribo-tests. The results showed that the as-fabricated a-C:H:Si films exhibited good tribological performances with low friction and wear. The -OH termination which was deduced by SiO structure inside the a-C:H:Si film reacted with water molecules in atmosphere could passivate the film and counterpart surface, leading to the low friction of a-C:H:Si film. The wear rate increased with the increase of SiH4 gas flow rate, which could be attributed to the formation and increase of SiC phase with high hardness. The SiC phase enhanced the three-body abrasion between the contact surfaces, which increase the wear of the a-C:H:Si film at high SiH4 flow rate.

Tribological behaviour of thermally sprayed ceramic coating at high temperature

Abstract The present study focuses on the wear behaviour of a Al2O3-13 wt.% TiO2 composite coating deposited by a flame spray method for high temperature applications. The microstructural characterisation and mechanical properties, such as microhardness and surface roughness were studied. In addition, the porosity characterisation of the coating was studied through quantitative image analysis using the software Image_J. The tribological testing of the deposited coating was performed at four different temperatures, i.e., 25 °C, 100 °C, 200 °C and 400 °C, using a high temperature pin-on-disk tribometer. The specific wear rate decreases with an increase in temperature of upto 200 °C and then increases slightly at 400 °C, whereas the coefficient of friction declines with temperature rise. The dominant wear mechanism is three-body abrasion and brittle fracture followed by erosion and oxidation wear at high temperatures.

Influence of abrasive characteristics on the wear micro-mechanisms of NbC and WC cermets during three-body abrasion

The present study has developed new insights into the wear transition mode of cermets and provides a better understanding of the role of abrasive characteristics in three-body abrasive wear. Two sintered and fully densified cermets, NbC–Ni (NbC–12Ni–10Mo2C) and WC-Co (WC-9.5Co) with similar micro-hardness (HV30 ≈ 13.5 GPa) were selected in this study. The abrasion response of cermets against different abrasive characteristics namely size (67–245 μm), hardness (silica, alumina and SiC), and shape (round and angular) was experimentally investigated according to the ASTM G65 standard. The test results showed that the specific wear rate (SWR) of the cermets increased significantly with increasing abrasive size and hardness. The size effect shows that the dominant wear micro-mechanisms shift from binder removal (rolling) to mixed binder-carbide extrusion (sliding) as the abrasives particle size changes from smaller (67 μm) to larger (245 μm). The hardness ratio between the abrasives and cermets (Ha/Hs) highlights that silica and alumina abrasives provide mild wear (Ha/Hs < 1.5), while SiC abrasives cause severe wear (Ha/Hs > 1.5). Both cermets exhibited similar SWR during mild wear, but NbC–Ni showed 7 times higher SWR than WC-Co during severe wear. The abrasives shape effect does not show a significant difference on the wear rate of the cermets.

Effect of the degree of densification on the unlubricated sliding-wear behaviour of monolithic B4C ceramics

The unlubricated sliding-wear behaviour of monolithic B4C ceramics with densification degree from ∼62 % up to ∼99.1 %, and therefore hardness from ∼7.9 GPa up to ∼35.3 GPa, was investigated. It was found that the specific wear rate decreases somewhat asymptotically by one order of magnitude (from 10–7 down to 10–8 mm3/(N m)) with the increase of densification degree/hardness. This is because, while wear always occurred by abrasion, below a certain threshold of densification/hardness it took place predominantly in brittle mode by fracture-dominated three-body abrasion and above that threshold predominantly in ductile mode by plasticity-dominated two-body abrasion. Finally, it was found that over-sintering of monolithic B4C ceramics above their near-full densification condition is impractical and could even be detrimental for tribological applications.