Sliding wear behavior of Fe-based bulk metallic glass at high temperature

In the past decade Fe-based bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) have attracted increasing attention due to their beneficial properties, including high glass forming ability (GFA), high strength and hardness and high fracture toughness in both fundamental science and engineering application. Most research using these materials has been conducted at room temperature environment, and research that assesses their behavior especially at high temperature has been scarce. We present the results of high temperature effect on the friction and wear behavior of Fe-based bulk metallic glass (BMG), and we tested that this material may satisfy wear and oxidation resistance at high temperature as well as to explore the high temperature wear mechanism of the Fe-based BMG. The dry sliding tribological behaviors of Febased BMG against Si3N4 ceramic were conducted with a pin-on-disc friction and wear tribometer. The morphology of the worn surfaces of Fe-based BMG was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the chemical composition characterized with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) to observe the wear characteristics and investigate the wear mechanisms. The overall average friction coefficient value generally decreased with increasing temperature, and the glass transition and the formation of protective oxide film played an important role in the tribological behavior of BMG. The wear resistance of Fe-based BMG was not only from their hardness but also from the formation protective oxide layer. Analysis of the worn surface revealed abrasion, plastic deformation and oxidation during sliding test.