Effects of doping elements on the friction and wear of SUJ2 steel sliding against aluminum alloys

Abstract

Damage to mechanical components caused by wear is considered to be an important issue for mechanical engineers. For the purpose of wear resistance, it is necessary to improve the material properties of the mechanical elements. Furthermore, low friction plays an important role in saving energy. Hence, it is important to establish a key technology for wear resistance and low friction through appropriate materials science for related industries. In general, the tribological properties of aluminum alloys are very different from those of steels. Hence, aluminum alloys should be specially considered and clarified for their tribological properties before being applied industrially. This paper therefore aims to further investigate the effects of the content of doping elements on the friction and wear of the selected aluminum alloys. From the experimental results, it can be concluded that the higher the Si content, the smaller the friction coefficient, and the milder the variation. The higher the content of iron and copper, the more materials are removed, showing better machinability. Moreover, three frictional models and wear mechanisms that describe the effects of the content of doping elements on the friction and wear are proposed. The wear mechanisms change as the silicon content increases, from the junction growth to the wedge and the ploughing particles. As a result, better choices of aluminum alloys with regards to friction and wear can then be made. These results have great practical importance.