The Divergent Pathways and Mechanisms of Energy Dissipation at the Interfaces of Martensitic Tribocouples

The requirements for technical systems subjected to friction and wear become more demanding, therefore the components are exposed to increasing stresses. Besides possible safety matters, failure of tribologically loaded systems cause tremendous maintenance costs. Due to the lack of reliable wear prediction models, tribometer tests are used in order to investigate wear behavior of materials and lubrication conditions. For well-aimed optimizations of tribological contacts a comprehensive understanding of wear processes is necessary. However, the transferability of many studies into technical applications is arguable due to applied loads, lubrication conditions and material selection. In this study specimens with different topographies and subsurface structures were investigated prior to and after tribological testing. The tests have been carried out under application related conditions regarding material properties, lubrication and loading conditions. The analyses of surface and subsurface characteristics were performed using complementary microscopy techniques, such as EBSD and TEM. Findings from microscopic analyses were linked to the frictional and wear behavior in order to gain information about energy dissipation and dissipative mechanisms within the respective system. The presence of a grain-refined layer appears to have a beneficial influence on the adaptation of the counterfaces and enhances the robustness of the tribosystems. In addition wear debris was analyzed and different mechanisms of particle generation were discussed.Steigende Anforderungen an technische Systeme, welche Reibung und Verschleiß ausgesetzt sind, führen dazu, dass die eingesetzten Bauteile höheren Belastungen ausgesetzt sind. Abgesehen von möglichen Sicherheitsrisiken, führen Ausfälle tribologischer Systeme zu erheblichen Instandhaltungskosten. Das Fehlen zuverlässiger Modelle zur Vorhersage des Verschleißverhaltens bedingt den Einsatzt von Tribometerversuchen um das Verschleißverhalten von Werkstoffen und die Schmierungsbedingungen zu untersuchen. Dabei setzt die gezielte Optimierung tribologischer Kontakte ein umfangreiches Verständnis der Verschleißprozesse voraus. Die Wahl der verwendeten Belastungen, Schmierungszustände und Werkstoffe vieler tribologischer Versuche führte jedoch dazu dass die Übertragbarkeit der Ergebnisse auf technische Anwendungen kaum geben ist. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurden Proben mit unterschiedlichen Oberflächentopographien und oberflächennahen Gefügestrukturen vor und nach tribologischen Versuchen analysiert. Die Verschleißversuche sind bezüglich der Werkstoffeigenschaften, sowie der Schmierungs- und Belastungszustände unter anwendungsnahen Bedingungen durchgeführt worden. Die Analyse der Oberflächen und oberflächennahen Bereiche wurde mit Hilfe komplementärer mikroskopischer Methoden, wie EBSD und TEM, durchgeführt. Die Ergebnisse dieser Untersuchungen wurden anschließend mit dem Reibungs- und Verschleißverhalten korreliert um Informationen über Energiedissipation und dissipative Mechanismen in den jeweiligen Tribosystemen zu erlangen. Dabei zeigte sich, dass das Vorhandensein eines feinkörnigen Bereichs an der Oberfläche einen positiven Effekt auf die Anpassungsfähigkeit der Kontaktflächen und die Robustheit des Tribosystems zu haben scheint. Zusätzlich wurden Verschleißpartikel analysiert und verschiedene Mechanismen der Partikelentstehung diskutiert

Surface softening in metal-ceramic sliding contacts: An experimental and numerical investigation

This study investigates the tribolayer properties at the interface of ceramic/metal (i.e., WC/W) sliding contacts using various experimental approaches and classical atomistic simulations. Experimentally, nanoindentation and micropillar compression tests, as well as adhesion mapping by means of atomic force microscopy, are used to evaluate the strength of tungsten?carbon tribolayers. To capture the influence of environmental conditions, a detailed chemical and structural analysis is performed on the worn surfaces by means of XPS mapping and depth profiling along with transmission electron microscopy of the debris particles. Experimentally, the results indicate a decrease in hardness and modulus of the worn surface compared to the unworn one. Atomistic simulations of nanoindentation on deformed and undeformed specimens are used to probe the strength of the WC tribolayer and despite the fact that the simulations do not include oxygen, the simulations correlate well with the experiments on deformed and undeformed surfaces, where the difference in behavior is attributed to the bonding and structural differences of amorphous and crystalline W-C. Adhesion mapping indicates a decrease in surface adhesion, which based on chemical analysis is attributed to surface passivation

Pathways of Dissipation of Frictional Energy under Boundary Lubricated Sliding Wear of Martensitic Materials

The challenges of technical systems subjected to friction and wear become more demanding with steadily increasing stresses. Besides safety matters, failure of tribologically loaded systems can cause tremendous maintenance costs. Because of the lack of a general wear prediction model, tribometer tests must be used in order to investigate wear behaviour of materials in certain tribological systems. Any well-aimed optimizations of tribological contacts requires a comprehensive understanding of friction and wear mechanisms. Otherwise the transferability into technical applications is questionable because of the wide range of applied loads, lubrication conditions, and materials microstructures. In this study, specimens with different topographies and subsurface microstructures were investigated prior to and after tribological testing. The analyses of surface and subsurface characteristics were performed by means of complementary high-resolution electron-microscopy techniques. The study attempted to link the findings to the wear behavior in order to gain information about the pathways of dissipation and transformation of frictional energy into wear. It was found that the dissipation pathways of base body and counter body were different, resulting in diverse tribological behaviour. Nonetheless, the presence of a near-surface grain-refined layers (tribomaterial) supported by a sub-surface strain gradient appears to provide a beneficial influence. Despite the fact that any direct or even conclusive relation to the topographies or subsurface microstructures cannot be given, the discussion provides some hints on how to analyse such systems for their characteristic mechanisms. In addition to the capability of such approach as one step of understanding, its limitations are shown and briefly discussed as well

Pathways of Dissipation of Frictional Energy under Boundary Lubricated Sliding Wear of Martensitic Materials

The challenges of technical systems subjected to friction and wear become more demanding with steadily increasing stresses. Besides safety matters, failure of tribologically loaded systems can cause tremendous maintenance costs. Because of the lack of a general wear prediction model, tribometer tests must be used in order to investigate wear behaviour of materials in certain tribological systems. Any well-aimed optimizations of tribological contacts requires a comprehensive understanding of friction and wear mechanisms. Otherwise the transferability into technical applications is questionable because of the wide range of applied loads, lubrication conditions, and materials microstructures. In this study, specimens with different topographies and subsurface microstructures were investigated prior to and after tribological testing. The analyses of surface and subsurface characteristics were performed by means of complementary high-resolution electron-microscopy techniques. The study attempted to link the findings to the wear behavior in order to gain information about the pathways of dissipation and transformation of frictional energy into wear. It was found that the dissipation pathways of base body and counter body were different, resulting in diverse tribological behaviour. Nonetheless, the presence of a near-surface grain-refined layers (tribomaterial) supported by a sub-surface strain gradient appears to provide a beneficial influence. Despite the fact that any direct or even conclusive relation to the topographies or subsurface microstructures cannot be given, the discussion provides some hints on how to analyse such systems for their characteristic mechanisms. In addition to the capability of such approach as one step of understanding, its limitations are shown and briefly discussed as well

Surface softening in metal-ceramic sliding contacts: An experimental and numerical investigation

This study investigates the tribolayer properties at the interface of ceramic/metal (i.e., WC/W) sliding contacts using various experimental approaches and classical atomistic simulations. Experimentally, nanoindentation and micropillar compression tests, as well as adhesion mapping by means of atomic force microscopy, are used to evaluate the strength of tungsten?carbon tribolayers. To capture the influence of environmental conditions, a detailed chemical and structural analysis is performed on the worn surfaces by means of XPS mapping and depth profiling along with transmission electron microscopy of the debris particles. Experimentally, the results indicate a decrease in hardness and modulus of the worn surface compared to the unworn one. Atomistic simulations of nanoindentation on deformed and undeformed specimens are used to probe the strength of the WC tribolayer and despite the fact that the simulations do not include oxygen, the simulations correlate well with the experiments on deformed and undeformed surfaces, where the difference in behavior is attributed to the bonding and structural differences of amorphous and crystalline W-C. Adhesion mapping indicates a decrease in surface adhesion, which based on chemical analysis is attributed to surface passivation