Third Body Behavior During Dry Sliding of Cold-Sprayed Al-Al2O3 Composites: In Situ Tribometry and Microanalysis

• Published in: Tribology letters Vol. 54; no. 2; pp. 191 - 206
• Main Authors: Shockley, J. Michael, Descartes, S., Irissou, E., Legoux, J.-G., Chromik, R. R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01-05-2014; Springer Nature B.V; Springer Verlag
• Subjects: Aluminum; Aluminum oxide; Chemistry and Materials Science; Coefficient of friction; Cold spraying; Corrosion and Coatings; Deformation; Engineering Sciences; Frictional wear; Materials Science; Mechanics; Mechanics of materials; Nanotechnology; Original Paper; Particulate composites; Physical Chemistry; Physics; Protective coatings; Sapphire; Sliding friction; Stability; Strain localization; Surfaces and Interfaces; Theoretical and Applied Mechanics; Thin Films; Tribology; Ultrasonic testing; Wear rate; In situ tribometry; Tribological circuit; Aluminum matrix composite; Cold spray; Third bodies
• ISSN: 1023-8883; 1573-2711
• DOI: 10.1007/s11249-014-0326-z

Reciprocating sliding wear experiments were conducted on cold-sprayed pure aluminum and Al–22.6 wt% Al
2
O
3
coatings using a custom-built in situ tribometer. Using a transparent sapphire counterface for the wear tests, the dynamic behavior of third body material in the contact was optically observed. The presence of Al
2
O
3
particles led to greater stability of the transfer films adhering to the sapphire counterface, as well as greater stability of the friction coefficient and lower wear rates. Ex situ microanalysis of material in the wear tracks and transfer films suggests that the presence of Al
2
O
3
particles promoted strain localization during sliding. This produced more uniform third body microstructures and protected the underlying aluminum matrix from deformation, which slowed the rate of transfer to the counterface.