Tribological Conditions Research Articles

Mechanisms of remarkable wear reduction and evolutions of subsurface microstructure and nano-mechanical properties during dry sliding of nano-grained Ti6Al4V alloy: A comparative study

A comprehensive investigation into dry sliding wear and associated evolutions of subsurface microstructure and nano-mechanical properties of a bulk nano-grained Ti6Al4V alloy (NG-Ti6Al4V) was conducted. Comparing with its coarse-grained counterpart (CG-Ti6Al4V), NG-Ti6Al4V always exhibited lower friction coefficient and greater wear resistance in a wide range of tribological conditions. It was also found that the sliding wear induced nano-mechanical properties and microstructure evolutions in Ti6Al4V alloy were largely dependent on its initial microstructural features. For the first time, TEM observations provided a direct experimental evidence that the originally saturated nanostructure in NG-Ti6Al4V could be further refined by sliding wear. This study proposed an effective strategy to improve the load-bearing ability of Ti6Al4V alloy by producing bulk homogeneous nanostructure.

Enhanced tribological performance of cylinder liners made of cast aluminum alloy with high silicon content through plasma electrolytic oxidation

Aluminum-silicon (Al-Si) alloys have been increasingly used in several industries to develop novel lighter and high-performance components. Nevertheless, these novel advanced materials display poor wear resistance which hamper their application in several critical tribological components. This investigation is focused on the surface modification of Al-Si alloys with high Si content, through a breakthrough green coating technology named plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO). The main aim is, for the first time, to study the tribological behavior of PEO-treated cylinder liners made of cast Al with high Si content, in a configuration mimicking the real contact between a cylinder liner and a piston ring. Additionally, this study is based on the development of a novel electrolyte especially designed to generate PEO films with improved tribological properties.Novel films were successfully synthesized by PEO in an innovative aluminate-based electrolyte. The morphological, topographical, and chemical features of the films were assessed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thickness and average roughness (Ra) measurements, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Cross-sectional SEM images showed that PEO films developed in the novel electrolyte are denser and thicker. Additionally, the novel PEO-treated cylinder liners, presented a significantly improved resistance to wear damage when submitted to tribological actions simulating the cylinder liner/piston ring real contact movements, which was linked with the extremely higher hardness of the films. These cylinder liners presented a lower COF compared to the commercial reference, along the whole duration of sliding. Finally, tribological tests showed that PEO-treated Al cylinder liners displayed a similar level of mechanical wear damage that steel cylinder liners.The results presented in this investigation envisage the feasibility of PEO to be applied on Al-Si engine components submitted to aggressive tribological conditions, enhancing their durability requirements to levels similar to components made of steel.

Optimization and prediction of hardness, wear and surface roughness on age hardened stellite 6 alloys

Growing demand for Stellite 6 alloys due to its attractive properties such as superior strength, toughness, wear resistance, fracture resistant characteristics, and their exceptional resistance to corrosion has made them applicable in industrial as well as commercial applications, such as aerospace industries, nuclear waste storage, automobile industries and surgical implantation. However, in spite of these applications, automotive part manufacturers mainly (Bearing Materials) are looking for a comprehensive study, such as mechanics of friction and the relationship between friction and wear. Hence in this paper, an attempt has been made to study the tribological behavior such as wear characterization and surface roughness of age hardened Stellite 6 alloys. The main objective of the research is to determine the favorable tribological conditions for improving wear resistant properties and surface roughness on age hardened Stellite 6 alloys. Hence two body wear study and surface roughness study during Wire Electric Discharge Machining (WEDM) of age hardened Stellite 6 alloys based on Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Taguchi's Design of Experiment (TDOE), Response Surface Methodology(RSM) and Desirability Functional Analysis (DFA) have been used to achieve this goal. From the study it is observed that optimum values for improving hardness, wear and surface roughness values can be easily achieved with less time and cost by adopting the said techniques. •From microstructural observation, as the peak current increases there is larger amount of dendritic carbides and cracking of carbides due to high plastic deformation resulting in thermal softening of Stellite 6 alloy during wire electric discharge machining resulting in better surface roughness values. The second-order model for hardness, wear and surface roughness using response surface methodology can be adopted for predicting for hardness, wear and surface roughness in any experimental domain.

A new approach for the friction and wear characterisation of polymer fibres under dry, mixed and hydrodynamic sliding

A new approach for the friction and wear characterisation of polymer fibres under dry, mixed, and hydrodynamic sliding conditions is developed. The production process of the tested polymer fibres is described and an introduction in fibre-reinforced concrete is given. Tribotesting is done on an optimised tribometer capable of measuring the friction and wear behaviour of polymer fibres with diameters of a few 100 µm under lubricated conditions. Three extruded polypropylene macro fibres with varying diameters are characterised under tribological conditions found in an industrial concrete mixing process. It is shown that detailed friction and wear data of polymer fibres can be gathered.

Abrasion and Erosion Resistance of Cermets: A Review.

WC-based hardmetals are employed widely as wear-resistant ceramic–metal composites for tools and wear parts. Raw materials supply, environmental concerns and some limitations of hardmetals have directed efforts toward development of alternative wear-resistant composites–cermets. We present a current state of knowledge in the field of ceramic-rich (≥50 vol%) cermets behavior in abrasion and erosion conditions, which are the dominant types of wear in many industrial applications. Distinction is made between two-body and three-body abrasion, solid-particle erosion, and slurry erosion. Cermets, in particular TiC-, Ti(C,N)- and Cr3C2-based composites and hardmetals, are compared for their abrasive and erosive wear performance and mechanism. The review enabled formulation of tribological conditions in which cermets may be comparable or have potential to outperform WC-Co hardmetals. Hardmetals, in general, outperform cermets in abrasion and solid-particle erosion at room and moderate temperatures. However, cermets demonstrate their potential mainly in severe conditions—at elevated temperatures and corrosive (oxidation, electrochemical corrosion) environments.

Methodological approach for the development of an operator assistance system for the press shop

The productivity of a deep drawing process strongly relies on its robustness as well as the experience of the machine operator. Steadily increasing requirements regarding weight, design and efficiency lead to a production operating increasingly closer to the process limits, making it more challenging to ensure a high robustness of the process. Minimal process fluctuations caused by disturbances such as varying material properties or changing tribological conditions may negatively affect the process due to deteriorated product properties as well as an increased risk of scrap. Thus, a target-oriented adjustment of available parameters by the machine operator becomes more difficult, and an increased knowledge about the causes of defects is more important. In the past, several approaches with different combinations of sensors and actuators have been investigated to enable a stable process window based on a control system. This paper presents a method to address the need for a more robust process by developing an operator assistance system that enables the identification of the component state and provides decision support to the machine operator. The methodological approach includes a thorough process analysis to evaluate the expediency of such a system and to make a reasonable preselection of sensors in order to avoid unnecessary costs.

Tribological Properties of TiO2/BP Nanocomposites as Lubricant Additives for Titanium Alloy Tribopairs

To improve the tribological performance of titanium alloy, the novel nanocomposites titanium dioxide/black phosphorus nanosheets were successfully prepared by a sol-gel method. The effects of the concentration of the black phosphorus nanocomposites, the ratio of TiO2 to black phosphorus, and the load and sliding velocity on the friction and wear of the titanium alloy friction pair under boundary lubrication conditions were investigated using a ball-on-disc tribometer with an orthogonal experimental design. Based on the results of the analysis of variance, the degree of influence of each factor on the friction and wear was obtained. The results show that these factors have different effects on the tribological behavior of Si3N4-Ti6Al4V(TC4) tribopairs. Load has the greatest influence on the friction and wear of the titanium alloy. When the antiwear performance of the upper Si3N4 ball was chosen as the response index, the optimum tribological conditions were obtained: load, 5 N; sliding velocity, 33 mm/s; mass ratio of TiO2 to black phosphorus nanosheets, 2:1; and additive concentration, 0.01%. The excellent tribological performance could be ascribed to the formation of a tribolayer containing nanocomposites, which played the role of buffering and isolating the Si3N4-TC4 tribopairs.

Recent Advances in Additive Manufacturing of High Entropy Alloys and Their Nuclear and Wear-Resistant Applications

Alloying has been very common practice in materials engineering to fabricate metals of desirable properties for specific applications. Traditionally, a small amount of the desired material is added to the principal metal. However, a new alloying technique emerged in 2004 with the concept of adding several principal elements in or near equi-atomic concentrations. These are popularly known as high entropy alloys (HEAs) which can have a wide composition range. A vast area of this composition range is still unexplored. The HEAs research community is still trying to identify and characterize the behaviors of these alloys under different scenarios to develop high-performance materials with desired properties and make the next class of advanced materials. Over the years, understanding of the thermodynamics theories, phase stability and manufacturing methods of HEAs has improved. Moreover, HEAs have also shown retention of strength and relevant properties under extreme tribological conditions and radiation. Recent progresses in these fields are surveyed and discussed in this review with a focus on HEAs for use under extreme environments (i.e., wear and irradiation) and their fabrication using additive manufacturing.

Study on the influence of radial stiffness on the nonlinear vibration of brake system

PurposeA dynamic model of the brake system considering the tangential and radial motion of the pad, and the torsion and wobbling motion of the disk is established in this paper. The influence of radial stiffness on the brake system is investigated under different tribological conditions. This paper aims to prove that sufficient radial stiffness is indispensable in the design of the brake system with good tribological performance.Design/methodology/approachBy using the lumped mass method, a dynamic model of the brake system is established. A Stribeck-type friction model is applied to this model to correlate the frictional velocity, pressure and friction force. The stability of pad vibration is analysed by analysis methods. A new stability evaluation parameter is proposed to study the influence of radial stiffness on stability of pad vibration in a certain friction coefficient brake pressure range.FindingsThe findings show that the tangential vibration of the pad transits from periodic motion to quasi-periodic motion under a low tangential stiffness. The influence of radial stiffness on motion stability is stronger under a low nominal brake radius. The stability of the brake system can be ensured when the brake radius and radial stiffness are sufficient.Originality/valueThe influence of tangential stiffness of pad on stability of the brake system has been researched for decades. The insufficiency of stiffness in radial direction may also generate certain levels of instabilities but has not been fully investigated by modelling approach. This paper reveals that this parameter is also strongly correlated to nonlinear vibration of the brake pad.

The effect of anion architecture on the lubrication chemistry of phosphonium orthoborate ionic liquids

Phosphonium ionic liquids with orthoborate anions have been studied in terms of their interfacial film formation, both physisorbed and sacrificial from chemical breakdown, in sheared contacts of varying harshness. The halogen-free anion architecture was varied through (i) the heteronuclear ring size, (ii) the hybridisation of the constituent atoms, and (iii) the addition of aryl functionalities. Time of Flight-Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry analysis revealed the extent of sacrificial tribofilm formation allowing the relative stability of the ionic liquids under tribological conditions to be determined and their breakdown mechanisms to be compared to simple thermal decomposition. Overall, ionic liquids outperformed reference oils as lubricants; in some cases, sacrificial films were formed (with anion breakdown a necessary precursor to phosphonium cation decomposition) while in other cases, a protective, self-assembly lubricant layer or hybrid film was formed. The salicylate-based anion was the most chemically stable and decomposed only slightly even under the harshest conditions. It was further found that surface topography influenced the degree of breakdown through enhanced material transport and replenishment. This work thus unveils the relationship between ionic liquid composition and structure, and the ensuing inter- and intra-molecular interactions and chemical stability, and demonstrates the intrinsic tuneability of an ionic liquid lubrication technology.

Analysis of the Tribological and Dynamic Characteristics of the Piston Compression Ring Under Different Engine Operating Conditions

In this investigation, a study of the tribological and dynamic characteristics present in the compression ring is executed for different engine conditions. A series of numerical simulations has been carried out using the OpenFOAM software for the study. The simulation conditions have been based on the parameters measured on a diesel engine test bench. Different ranges of rotation speed, load, and lubrication oil temperature have been established for the analysis. The results show that the parameters of rotation speed and engine load significantly influence the tribological and dynamic conditions of the piston compression ring. An increase of 425 rpm and 136 Nm in the rotational speed and load of the engine causes an increase of 13% and 34% in the power loss due to friction. The Top Dead Center and the Bottom Dead Center are the locations most prone to experience critical wear and tear. Increasing the lubricating oil temperature increases the maximum friction force by 9%. In general, the proposed methodology allows for establishing a direct relationship between the operating conditions and the tribological characteristics in the compression ring that directly affect the efficiency and useful life of the engine.

Wear Analysis of Forging Tools Used in an Industrial Production Process—Hot Forging in Closed Dies of the “Head-Disk” of an Engine Valve Forging

The article performs an analysis of the durability of punches applied in the process of producing a valve forging from chromium-nickel steel. A forging of this type is made in two operations: coextrusion of a long shank, followed by finishing forging in closed dies of the valve head. The product obtained in this way (after other additional finishing procedures) constitutes the key element of the combustion engine (resistant to high pressures and temperatures) in motor trucks. Unfortunately, a significant problem in this production process is a relatively low durability of the forging tools, especially the punch used in the second forging operation. The key element at this stage, deciding about the punch’s further operation, is the area of the so-called “calotte”. The short-term life of the tools results from very hard performance conditions present during the forging process (periodical high mechanical and thermal loads, long path of friction). The latter cause intensive abrasive wear as well as high adhesion of the forging material to the tool surface. Based on the performed studies, including the following: technology analysis, numerical modelling, macro analyses combined with 3D scanning of tool sections as well as microstructural tests and hardness measurements, it was established that it is crucial to properly select the process parameters (charge and tool temperature, tribological conditions), as even slight changes introduced into them significantly affect the operation time of the forging tools. Mastering and proper implementation of the analyzed forging technology requires numerous further studies and tests, which will enable its perfection and thus increase the durability of the tools as well as the quality of the produced items.

Investigation of tribological conditions on grinding of bioceramic material using diamond grinding wheel under different cooling and lubrication environment

The temperature rise and the quantity of energy transferred to the workpiece were estimated in the grinding of bioceramic (pre-sintered zirconia) material with a diamond wheel based on the modeling and experimental method. The finite volume method has been used to investigate the temperature distribution under different environments such as dry, wet, and MQL. The power generated from the experimental method was given as input data to the thermal model analysis. The tribology of the grinding process was investigated depending on different factors such as temperature, energy partition, surface morphology, coefficient of friction, and surface energy. The rise in temperature and the quantity of heat transferred to the workpiece were estimated depending on the analysis of the inverse heat transfer method. The results indicated that the maximum energy partition assessed in the dry condition was around (39–60%) to the workpiece material, which differs from the wet condition as it was reduced to (15–40%). The energy partition for the MQL condition was close to the dry condition as (33–58%). The diamond wheel consumes more quantity of heat energy at the contact interface and reduces the temperature of the workpiece surface. The predicted temperature using the thermal model analysis was acceptable with the experimental method. After the thermal analysis, the coefficient of friction at the contact interface was calculated which was observed to be high for both the dry and the wet conditions compared to the MQL. Additionally, the quantity of surface energy consumed by the ploughed friction was also augmented for the dry and wet conditions. Evidently, it leads to more deformation for the work material under these conditions. Finally, the interaction between the sharp edges and the workpiece surface was reduced in the MQL condition.

Wälzfestigkeit erodierter Oberflächen im Zwei-Scheiben-Zahnradanalogieversuch

Due to advances in power electronics and high-frequency process control, the technology of electrical discharge machining (EDM) has received a decisive technological boost in the last two decades to increase the achievable removal and cutting rates and to minimize the thermally influenced surface zone. At the same time, wire electrical discharge machining in particular has always been characterized by high achievable geometrical accuracy. In addition, a cup-shaped surface structure is formed in EDM as a result of the individual discharge points, which can offer targeted optimization potential with regard to tribological properties in rolling-sliding contacts. For this reason, the objective of this report is the knowledge of the contact fatigue strength of eroded surfaces in comparison to a ground reference with a focus on tribological contact conditions typical for gears.

Evaluation of the printing strategies design on the mechanical and tribological response of acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) additive manufacturing parts

PurposeThe evaluation of novel materials such as the acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) for tribological and mechanical conditions can provide a structural protection against the environmental and wear effects that results in the long-term integrity of the 3 D printed parts. Results of the experimental stage are intended to identify the influence of the printing conditions on the functional characteristics of ASA parts that results in variations of the friction coefficient, wear rate and tensile response. In addition, this study aims to highlight the relevance of printing parameters to avoid the use of chemical post-processing stages, increasing the performance and sustainability of the process.Design/methodology/approachIn this research, an evaluation of the influence of printing parameters of layer thickness and temperature on the mechanical and tribological response have been carried out for ASA specimens manufactured by fused filament fabrication technology. For this purpose, a range of three different values of thickness of fused layer and three different printing temperatures were combined in the manufacturing process of tests samples. Mechanical behavior of the printed parts was evaluated by standard tensile tests, and friction forces were measured by pin-on-disk tribological tests against steel spheres.FindingsHigher layer thickness of the printed parts shows lower resistance to tribological wear effects; in terms of friction coefficient and wear rate, this type of parts also presents lower tensile strength. It has been detected that mechanical and tribological behavior is highly related to the micro-geometrical characteristics of the printed surfaces, which can be controlled by the manufacturing parameters. Under this consideration, a reduction in the coefficient of friction near to 65% in the average value was obtained through the variation of the layer thickness of printed surfaces.Originality/valueThis research aims to fill a gap in the scientific literature about the use of specific additive manufacturing materials under dynamic contact. This paper is mainly focused on the influence of the manufacturing parameters on the tribological and mechanical behavior of a weather resistant polymer (ASA).

Influence of post-heat treatment on microstructure, mechanical, and wear properties of maraging steel fabricated using direct metal laser sintering technique

The post-heat treatment of direct metal laser sintered parts is expected to have superior mechanical properties. Therefore, the purpose of the present study is to investigate the post-heat treatment effect on the microstructure, mechanical and wear properties of direct metal laser sintering processed maraging steel. Hence, a systematic methodology for microstructural characterization, mechanical properties, and tribological performance evaluation was performed. The microstructural examinations were performed using optical and scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction technique. The micro-hardness and tensile properties were determined. The unidirectional sliding wear test was performed using a pin on disc wear testing machine for three different sliding velocities (0.8, 1.2, and 1.6 m/s) and three different normal loads (5, 10, and 15 N). The present study’s findings establish that the post-heat treatment techniques significantly altered the microstructural morphology and features. The results showed that the heat-treated sample had finer and non-continuous microstructure and more complex intermetallic precipitate phases, leading to higher hardness (∼64%) and higher tensile strength properties (70–80%) compared to the as-printed sample. The unidirectional sliding wear test results showed that the sliding velocity significantly affected frictional and wear characteristics of direct metal laser sintering processed maraging steel. The wear resistance of the heat-treated sample was three times higher than the as-printed sample, particularly at higher sliding velocities. In addition, the lower coefficient of friction values (∼24%) was observed for heat-treated sample compared to as-printed sample at higher sliding velocities. The post-heat treatment aids as an effective method to enhance mechanical properties of direct metal laser sintered parts and qualify them for tribological applications. The results endorse the suitability of the heat-treated direct metal laser sintered maraging steel in practical tool and die applications involving extreme tribological operating conditions such as higher sliding velocities and contact stresses.

Experimental-FEM Study on Effect of Tribological Load Conditions on Wear Resistance of Three-Component High-Strength Solid-Lubricant PI-Based Composites.

The structure, mechanical and tribological properties of the polyimide-based composites reinforced with chopped carbon fibers (CCF) and loaded with solid-lubricant commercially available fillers of various natures were investigated. The metal- and ceramic counterparts were employed for tribological testing. Micron sized powders of PTFE, colloidal graphite and molybdenum disulfide were used for solid lubrication. It was shown that elastic modulus was enhanced by up to 2.5 times, while ultimate tensile strength was increased by up 1.5 times. The scheme and tribological loading conditions exerted the great effect on wear resistance of the composites. In the tribological tests by the ‘pin-on-disk’ scheme, wear rate decreased down to ~290 times for the metal-polymer tribological contact and to ~285 times for the ceramic-polymer one (compared to those for neat PI). In the tribological tests against the rougher counterpart (Ra~0.2 μm, the ‘block-on-ring’ scheme) three-component composites with both graphite and MoS2 exhibited high wear resistance. Under the “block-on-ring” scheme, the possibility of the transfer film formation was minimized, since the large-area counterpart slid against the ‘non-renewable’ surface of the polymer composite (at a ‘shortage’ of solid lubricant particles). On the other hand, graphite and MoS2 particles served as reinforcing inclusions. Finally, numerical simulation of the tribological test according to the ‘block-on-ring’ scheme was carried out. Within the framework of the implemented model, the counterpart roughness level exerted the significantly greater effect on wear rate in contrast to the porosity.

Transient mixed lubrication model of the human knee implant

The human knee implant is computationally modelled in the mixed lubrication regime to investigate the tribological performance of the implant. This model includes the complex geometry of the implant components, unlike elliptical contact models that approximate this geometry. Film thickness and pressure results are presented for an ISO gait cycle to determine the lubrication regime present within the implant during its operation. It was found that it was possible for the lubrication regime to span between elastohydrodynamic, mixed and boundary lubrication depending on the operating conditions of the implant. It was observed that the tribological conditions present in one condyle were not necessarily representative of the other. Multiple points of contact were found within the same condyle, which cannot be computed by the elliptical contact solvers. This model can be used to balance forces in all directions, instead of only the normal loads, as often done in elliptical contact models. This work is an initial step towards understanding the role of the complex geometry in the tribological characteristics of the human knee implant when operating in physiological conditions.

The Relationship between Cyclic Multi-Scale Self-Organized Processes and Wear-Induced Surface Phenomena under Severe Tribological Conditions Associated with Buildup Edge Formation

This paper presents experimental investigations of various interrelated multi-scale cyclic and temporal processes that occur on the frictional surface under severe tribological conditions during cutting with buildup edge formation. The results of the finite element modeling of the stress/temperature profiles on the friction surface are laid out. This study was performed on a multilayer coating with the top alumina ceramic layer deposited by CVD (chemical vapor deposition) on a WC/Co carbide substrate. A detailed analysis of the wear process was conducted by 3D wear evaluation, scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), as well as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) methods. The following cyclic phenomena were observed on the surface of the tribo-system during the experiments: a repetitive formation and breakage of buildups (a self-organized critical process) and a periodical increase and decrease in the amount of thermal barrier tribo-films with a sapphire structure (which is a self-organization process). These two processes are interrelated with the accompanying progression of cratering, eventually resulting in the catastrophic failure of the entire tribo-system.

Tribological investigations on aluminum alloys at different contact conditions for simulation of deep drawing processes

The tribological condition occurring in aluminum sheet forming processes remarkably affects the part quality and the tool wear. Reliable finite element (FE) models which consider the actual contact conditions are required for successful simulation of aluminum sheet forming. Therefore, tribology experiments are vital for creating contact models which represent the actual tribological system between the tool and the blank. In this work, pin-on-plate tests using plates of aluminum alloys EN AW-5182 EN and AW-6016-T4 were performed at different nominal contact pressures, sliding velocities and surface temperatures for investigating the coefficient of friction (COF). The surface topographies of the aluminum plates, before and after the pin-on-plate tests, were investigated using an optical 3D surface profiler. The obtained COF as well as the surface topographies were imported into the TriboForm R3 software for generating a multi-factor friction model (MFFM), which was subsequently applied in deep drawing simulations using the AutoForm R8 software. The simulation results based on the MFFM were compared to the results based on friction models with constant COF. Moreover, the simulations were validated with deep drawing experiments using a cross-shaped tool at three blankholder forces. The results of the tribology experiments showed that the COF tended to decrease with increasing nominal contact pressure and sliding velocity. However, at elevated temperature the COF increased for both aluminum alloys. Observation of the surface topography after the pin-on-plate tests showed that the plastic deformation of the surface asperities increased with increasing nominal contact pressure. The simulation results based on the MFFM agreed well with the deep drawing experiments at each blankholder force in terms of forming forces, thickness variations and final geometries of the parts.