TY - JOUR A1 - Zhang, G. A1 - Österle, Werner A1 - Jim, B. A1 - Häusler, Ines A1 - Hesse, Rene A1 - Wetzel, B. T1 - The role of surface topography in the evolving microstructure and functionality of tribofilms of an epoxy-based nanocomposite T2 - Wear N2 - The topographic effect of steel counterface, finished by mechanical grinding with Ra ranging from 0.01 to 0.95 µm, on the structure and functionality of the tribofilm of a hybrid nanocomposite, i.e. epoxy matrix filled with monodisperse silica nanoparticles, carbon fibers and graphite, was systematically investigated. The nanostructure of the tribofilm was comprehensively characterized by using combined focused ion beam and transmission electron microscope analyses. It was identified that oxidation of the steel surface, release, compaction and tribosintering of silica nanoparticles and deposition of an epoxy-like degradation product as well as fragmentation of carbon fibers are main mechanisms determining the structure and functionality of the tribofilm. The size of roughness grooves determines the type and size class of wear particles to be trapped at the surface. An optimum groove size leading to a maximum of surface coverage with a nanostructured tribofilm formed mainly from released silica nanoparticles was identified. PB - Elsevier B.V. KW - hybrid nanocomposite KW - tribological performance KW - topographic effect KW - tribofilm KW - nanostructure PY - 2016 UR - https://opus4.kobv.de/opus4-bam/frontdoor/index/index/docId/37937 AN - OPUS4-37937 VL - 364-365 SP - 48 EP - 56 AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany