Thermal expansion mismatch stresses may be a reason for premature failure of sealing and bearing components made of polymer composites that are rubbed against metallic surfaces at elevated temperatures. It is of particular importance for polymer matrix composites loaded with anti-friction inclusions of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) that possesses high coefficient of thermal expansion. In this regard, a study was undertaken to elucidate the effect of the thermal mismatch on wear and friction of amorphous polyetherimide (PEI) matrix loaded with either polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) particles (i) or PTFE particles covered with negative thermal expansion zirconium tungstate (ZT) α-ZrW2O8 (ii) at temperatures 23 °C, 120 °C and 180 °C. The ball-on-disk testing scheme was used according to standard with AISI 52100 steel balls rubbed against a polymer composite disks at normal force P = 5 N and sliding velocity V = 0.3 m/s. The PEI/PTFE/ZT composite demonstrated a tendency for wear rate (WR) reduction in sliding at 120 °C and 180 °C as compared to corresponding WR enhancement on the PEI/PTFE. The rationale is provided that the ZT additive effectively reduced thermal expansion of the PTFE in the PEI matrix and thus improved wear resistance of the composite. New thermal expansion-controlled wear and friction instability mechanism has been proposed and discussed.
The galling mechanism of Tristelle 5183, an Fe-based hardfacing alloy, was investigated at elevated temperature. The test was performed using a bespoke galling rig. Adhesive transfer and galling were found to occur, as a result of shear at the adhesion boundary and the activation of an internal shear plane within one of the tribosurfaces. During deformation, carbides were observed to have fractured, as a result of the shear train they were exposed to and their lack of ductility. In the case of niobium carbides, their fracture resulted in the formation of voids, which were found to coalesce and led to cracking and adhesive transfer. A tribologically affected zone (TAZ) was found to form, which contained nanocrystalline austenite, as a result of the shear exerted within 30 μm of the adhesion boundaries. The galling of Tristelle 5183 initiated from the formation of an adhesive boundary, followed by sub-surface shear in only one tribosurface, Following further sub-surface shear, an internal shear plane is activated. internal shear and shear at the adhesion boundary continues until fracture occur, resulting in adhesive transfer.
The refractory high-entropy alloys (RHEAs) exhibit great potential as structural components for aerospace equipment. However, their lack of wear resistance and increased coefficient of friction at room temperature (RT) impose limitations on their practical applications. Therefore, further enhancements are required to improve their friction and wear properties under RT. In this context, the development of NbMoWTa(h-BN)x RHEA ceramic composites in this work offers a viable solution to address this issue. Experimental results demonstrate that the addition of h-BN leads to the in-situ generation of (Nb,Ta)N/(Nb,Ta)2N and (Nb,Ta)B2 ceramic phases, significantly enhancing the hardness and wear resistance of the composites. The wear rate of NbMoWTa(h-BN)0.5 reaching as low as 1.32 × 10−8 mm3/Nm, which is four orders of magnitude lower than that of the RHEA. The NbMoWTa RHEA exhibits significant adhesive wear, which can be effectively mitigated in composites through the uniform dispersion of ceramic phase particles with lower mean free path. The abrasive particles primarily interact with the hard strengthening phase, effectively inhibiting plastic deformation in their vicinity. Consequently, the reduced mean free path between the ceramic phases limits the likelihood of metal matrix removal. Subsequently, aided by the presence of ceramic phases, the spontaneous formation of protective third bodies further inhibit surface material removal and ultimately ensures exceptional wear resistance.
The damage caused by rain droplet erosion to the leading edge of wind turbine blades is extremely severe. To reduce this issue, in this study, hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) and isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) were used as the polyurethane (PU) polyol and curing agent, respectively, to prepare a PU coating with a high resistance to water droplet erosion (WDE) for the protection of the leading edge of wind turbine blades. The effect of n (–NCO):n (–OH) (R-value, n is the molar ratio) on the mechanical properties and WDE resistance of PU coatings, the relationship between the two performances, and the influence of the erosion conditions on the WDE behavior were investigated for the first time. The results show the existence of a correlation between the mechanical properties (hardness, impact, flexibility, and tensile strength) and WDE resistance of the coating. While, a better abrasion resistance is found not to result in a better WDE resistance. The PU coating with an R-value of 1.2 shows an optimal WDE resistance in both atomization and jet erosion experiments. In atomized droplet erosion (ADE) experiments, the change in erosion velocity accelerates the incubation period of coating erosion damage and increases the erosion rate. In jet droplet erosion (JDE) experiments, the damage to the coating is closely related to the erosion angle, reaching a maximum at an impact angle of 60°. Furthermore, in the ADE experiments, various erosion morphologies, such as pits, grooves, cracks, and stepped texture, are observed on the damaged coating surface. While, regarding the JDE experiments, holes, grooves, and cracks are observed. Such damage is caused by the combined effects of water hammer pressure, lateral jets, and local permeation.
For effective implementation of smart machine technology, there is a great demand for real-time monitoring of the wear progression of machine components. In this work, the effectiveness of assessing wear by monitoring the airborne wear particles was investigated. Sliding wear tests were performed using different combinations of stainless steel (SUS304) and alumina material pairs while monitoring the size distribution and the number of particles using a particle counter. The results showed that particles less than 2 μm in size accounted for more than 83 % of the total number of airborne particles. However, particles greater than 2 μm account for 95 % of the volume of airborne particles. Additionally, in the case of wear volume, the total wear volume, which is the sum of the plate and the ball wear volumes, should be similar to that of the total airborne particle volume. For the SUS304/SUS304 pair, the total wear volume and the total airborne particle volume were very similar. However, in the case of alumina/SUS304 and alumina/alumina, the total wear volume and total airborne particle volume were not similar, and the total wear volume was significantly higher than the total airborne particle volume. The effectiveness of the airborne particle monitoring technique depended strongly on the material pairs. This was due to the fact that particle dispersion behavior varied with respect to the wear mechanisms of the materials.
This study presents a comprehensive analysis using an innovative testing method of two wheel steels paired with cast iron and organic composite brake block materials. By conducting tests under consistent conditions and varying in duration, the study examines temperature profiles, friction coefficients, surface characteristics, weight loss, and microstructural changes in wheel samples, emphasizing the distinct behaviour of these materials in braking applications and the damage evolution over time. The results demonstrate that organic composite brake samples outperform those in cast iron, showcasing smoother wheel sample surfaces and stable friction coefficients. Weight loss analysis reveals the environmental benefits of organic composite brakes, emitting fewer particulates than cast iron counterparts. Microstructural examinations uncover the formation of a Thermal White Etching Layer (T-WEL) on wheel samples tested with cast iron samples, leading to cracks and material detachment. Conversely, extended use of organic composite samples led to a "thermal fuse effect", impacting their efficiency and suggesting the need of careful temperature management in sustained braking scenarios. Despite significant differences in wheel steels, the study underscores the critical role of brake material in braking improvements. The findings not only enhance the scientific understanding of brake material behaviour but also introduce an innovative, cost-effective, and fast 4-contact machine testing method.
In order to improve the wear resistance of Inconel 617 alloy, Ni/WC composite coatings were prepared on it by High-Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) and electron beam remelting techniques. The effects of remelting beam current (16 mA–25 mA) on the macroscopic morphology, physical phase composition and microstructure of remelted coatings were investigated. The effect of microcomposition on the mechanical properties of remelted coatings was analyzed in combination with hardness tests and friction wear experiments. The experimental results showed that good metallurgical bonding was formed for 19 mA, 22 mA and 25 mA specimens after electron beam remelting. The bonding of the 16 mA specimen was a combination of metallurgical and mechanical bonding. The remelted coating generated new phases such as W2C, M3B and Cr23C6. With the increase of remelting beam current, the WC decomposition became more and more serious, and the grain growth tendency was evident. The remelted coatings prepared with different parameters showed a significant increase in microhardness compared to both the substrate and HVOF coatings. Friction wear experiments with SiC balls as counterbodies show that the wear increases gradually with increasing beam flow at 100 N and under dry friction conditions. The wear mechanism of HVOF coatings was abrasive, and the wear mechanism of remelted coatings was mainly abrasive and adhesive. In summary, the 22 mA specimen had a strong metallurgical bond. The hardness and abrasion resistance were improved compared to the substrate and the HVOF coating, i.e., the 22 mA specimen had the best overall performance.
The present study systematically compared the cavitation erosion (CE) and slurry erosion (SE) resistance of 0Cr12Ni9A and 0Cr17Ni4Cu4Nb coatings fabricated by high power laser cladding (HPLC) and the differences in CE and SE resistance were revealed by combining microstructure and mechanical properties. The experimental results indicated that the build rate of HPLC reached 256 mm3/s, which was much higher than that achieved by traditional low power laser cladding (154 mm3/s). Furthermore, the hardness (50 HRC), ultimate tensile strength (1370 MPa), yield strength (1349 MPa) and break elongation (11.5 %) of 0Cr12Ni9A coating were 1.11 times, 1.12 times, 1.25 times and 0.59 times that of 0Cr17Ni4Cu4Nb coating, respectively. The CE and SE resistance of the 0Cr12Ni9A coating were 9.51 times, 0.63 times (attack angle = 45°) and 1.23 times (90°) than that of the 0Cr17Ni4Cu4Nb coating and 22.87 times, 1.32 times (45°), 1.91 times (90°) than that of the 0Cr13Ni5Mo substrate, respectively. The cladding layers with high hardness and strength exhibits enhanced CE and SE (90°) resistance due to the higher resistance to plastic deformation and failure when facing the vertical impact of cavitation bubble collapse or sand particles. However, the SE resistance (45°) is related to the unit volume fracture energy, with a higher value indicating more effective absorption of kinetic energy from impacting sand particles, resulting in reduced flaky peeling off for improved SE resistance. The high build rate of HPLC and the exceptional CE and SE resistance of 0Cr12Ni9A coating material provide a novel solution to extend the service life of Pelton turbines.