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- Tribofilm (5) (entfernen)
The running-in phase of mechanical systems is critical from a tribological standpoint, though poorly understood. Microcracks accelerate material failure and wear during this phase of heightened friction. With this in mind, the ultimate goal of this current work is to transfer the running-in phase into the final step of the mechanical finishing process through the targeted pre-conditioning of novel, high toughness steel bearings without thermo-chemical treatments and compare these to conventional, case-hardened steels. This pre-conditioning involved the targeted implementation of two specific lubricant packages, the first with CaCO3 as the active ingredient and the second with MoDTC as the active ingredient, to generate chemically reactive tribolayers (tribofilms) on twin disk testing rigs. Pre-conditioning was carried out up to 104 load cycles (approximately 25 min). The films generated in pre-conditioning were analyzed by SEM-EDX with Element-Mapping, Raman spectroscopy, and XPS to elucidate their molecular composition and concentration on the sample surfaces. The combination of these methods of analysis gave a clear indication that 104 cycles were sufficient to generate stable chemical tribofilms. CaO and CaCO3 were the main components of the tribofilm from the first lubricant package, while MoS2, MoO2 and MoO3 were the main components from the second lubricant package. Tribofilm-protected samples were then subjected to slip-rolling endurance testing (T=+120 °C, 10,000,000 cycles, approximately 19 days in a factory fill engine oil) to determine any changes in friction behavior or wear performance. Some significant reductions in coefficients of friction at the end of endurance testing were observed, though in certain cases, no definitive improvement was observed. In contrast, very strong reductions in wear were observed across the entire spectrum of materials and testing loads. In some cases, sample surface wear reduction from pre-conditioning via tribofilms reached over 90%. The observed improvements to friction behavior and wear performance are indicative of a technically simple, cost- and energy-efficient pre-conditioning method that may prove to be competitive with existing thermochemical treatments for steel alloys.
Formation and function mechanisms of nanostructured tribofilms of epoxy-based hybrid nanocomposites
(2015)
The nanostructures and properties of the tribofilms of epoxy (EP) composites filled with short carbon fibers (SCF) and different volume fractions of monodisperse silica nanoparticles were investigated. When the conventional composite filled only with SCF was considered under a high pv condition, an iron oxide layer is formed on the steel counterface. The addition of even only 0.05 vol% nano-silica leads to a significant change of the tribofilm's structure and the tribological behavior of the composite. With increasing silica content, the oxidation layer on the steel surface is gradually replaced by a silica-based tribofilm. A close relationship between the tribofilms structure and the tribological behavior of the composites was identified. Mixing, possible reactions and tribo-sintering of silica nanoparticles with other wear products are deemed to be main mechanisms inducing the formation and the lubricity of the silica-based tribofilm.
The effect of steel counterface topography on the formation mechanisms of nanostructured tribofilms of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) hybrid nanocomposites was studied. Three types of surface finishes with mean roughness Ra ranging from nano- to micro-scale were investigated. Tribo-sintering of nanopartides, oxidation of counterface steel and compaction of wear debris are identified to be competing factors dominating the formation and function of the tribofilms. Counterface topography played an important role on the competing factors, and thereby influenced significantly the final structure, the load-carrying capability and the lubrication performance of the tribofilms. It was disclosed that a thin tribofilm, which mainly consists of silica nanoparticles and which forms on the counterface with a submicron roughness, benefits best the tribological performance of the composites
The composition and nanostructure of a beneficial tribofilm formed during sliding of a hybrid nanocomposite against steel were characterized comprehensively. A similar nanostructure was produced by high energy ball milling of the three identified tribofilm constituents: silica, hematite and graphite. By supplying powders to a pin-on-disc test it has been shown that neither silica, nor hematite, nor a mixture of both provide the low coefficient of friction (COF) observed for the hybrid composite. Only if graphite was blended with the oxides, the low COF was obtained. Thus, a film of finely dispersed stable inorganic wear products containing 15 vol% graphite provides low friction and wear in the considered case.
We applied a combination of Raman spectroscopy (RS) and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (X-TEM) to identify silicone oil residues and tribofilms at steel disc surfaces after tribological testing. Neither chemical cleaning nor mechanical removal of a 50 µm thick surface layer produced a surface without any silicone residue. Nevertheless, long-term tribological properties are not affected due to silicone degradation which has been proved by Raman spectroscopy. Excellent anti-wear and anti-friction properties of a nanocomposite at severe stressing conditions correlated with the formation of a silica-based tribofilm containing amorphous and graphite-like carbon nanoparticles. Since reliable carbon quantification by analytical TEM is difficult, RS is a useful complementary method for carbon identification at wear scars.