SOME TRIBOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS OF SLIDING TUNGSTEN CARBIDE COATED STEEL AGAINST ALUMINUM

The wear behavior of tungsten carbide coated steel in contact with aluminum alloys was investigated using a block-on-ring test. The wear surfaces generated were observed using a scanning electron microscope equipped for EDAX analysis. Three wear phenomena occur at the interface: abrasive deformation of the aluminum surface by ploughing, transfer of aluminum back and forth between the carbide and aluminum surfaces, and transfer of carbide particles to the aluminum surface. The differences in wear attributed to coating type correlate with microscopic observations of differences in surface texture for the same initial Ra value. No significant effect of lubricant type was discerned.