Tribological Characteristics of Commercial Metals

This project conducts a study on wear performance and frictional behaviour of selected metals against stainless steel counterface under dry contact condition. The chosen materials for conducting this study are mild steel, copper and aluminium. The parameters used for inspection and analysis of this project are applied load (0-90N) and sliding distance (0-14 km). Block on ring machine was used to conduct the adhesive wear testings. The worn surfaces are examined and wear mechanisms are categorized using scanning electron microscopy. The results reveal that copper shows better wear properties and aluminium shows less friction. Mild steel exhibits a high rate of wear and material removal. All three materials revealed three different wear mechanisms; aluminium (abrasive and adhesive), mild steel (abrasive and ploughing), copper (adhesive).