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The tribological behavior of a steel/glass ball-on-flat contact was studied by synchronizing the friction measurements with an acoustic emission device and a vision system. The results highlight two distinct friction regimes identified with low and high friction values. Their transition is characterized by a modification of acoustic emission signals. In addition, two main damage and wear mechanisms are identified: the creation and propagation of Hertzian cracks visible on the glass surface and the constitution of an interfacial layer of debris. The different accommodation mechanisms, activated successively or simultaneously, are identified for acoustic emission frequencies between 300 and 700 kHz. Eventually, this approach allows a real-time wear mechanisms identification and gives better insights about acoustic emission signals in relation to tribological systems.

This review proposes to carry out a state-of-the-art associated with micro-arc oxidation. Firstly, the different aspects of the growth mechanisms of the oxides are detailed. Then, the formation of micro-arcs and the case of soft-spark treatment are discussed. Then, the electrolytic reactions involved in the layer construction are outlined. We focused on the influence of aluminium alloys on the appearance of the coating and its characteristics before considering the electrolyte formulation. We have concentrated some of our efforts on silicate-based electrolytes, mainly used in research and industry. The importance of electrical parameters in layer formation is detailed later. The main factors studied in the literature are the current source, current density, treatment frequency and duration, and duty cycle. We have also noted the different phase compositions identified in the literature. Finally, since the process is particularly advantageous for protecting the surfaces of aluminium parts against wear, we conclude this review by presenting work on the tribological properties of this coating. In this final section, we highlight the work on the wear-reducing properties and tribological mechanisms identified in the literature. Particular attention is paid to the relationship between the nature of the substrates used, the role of the electrolyte and the counterpart choice on the friction and wear results.

Secondary air systems of civil aircraft engines require labyrinth seals with a minimum gap clearance for optimal functioning. In the case of high speed contact during the engine running-in period, an abradable material is deposited on the stationary part of the seal to limit the damage of the rotating shaft, which is made of a titanium alloy. Such situations are potentially critical for the seal; hence, the present study aims to observe the material behaviour during these contact conditions and to establish the tribological circuit of a third body through the interface. A high-speed contact test rig was developed to recreate contact conditions occurring in an aircraft engine. Two contact configurations occurring in different locations of the engine, with different materials and surface areas were explored. Thermal and mechanical instrumentation were used in each test. The influence of the contact geometry and the test conditions show that material flows through the contact determine the life cycle of the contact (by establishing a balance between the source, internal and material flow) and allows for the control of the thermomechanical constraints in a high-speed contact.

The tribological behavior of tungsten carbide–cobalt materials is influenced by the cobalt content and the WC grains size. The main wear mechanisms in these materials are cobalt depletion, intergranular cracks, and WC grain cleavages. More specifically, coarse WC grains favor the apparition of transgranular cracks during sliding friction tests. A promising way to access in real-time blinded tribological contacts is the technique of acoustic emission (AE). This study clearly identifies transgranular cracks in AE signals. The AE energy and frequency of this mechanism were experimentally associated with the size of the transgranular cracks. A mechanical model based on the classical beam theory and harmonic motion equations confirms these relations. The AE centroid period (i.e., inverse of the centroid frequency) increases linearly with the size of the transgranular cracks. The AE energy increases linearly with the cube of the transgranular cracks length.

The tribological behavior of a steel/PEKK ball-on-flat contact was studied regarding the load, the velocity and the sliding distance in reciprocating or unidirectional motion. The friction measurements were synchronized with an acoustic emission (AE) device. The results show a behavior change associated with an adiabatic effect on the polymer when the mechanical energy input increases. Two interfacial mechanisms are also characterized: Schallamarch ridges and longitudinal ploughings. These mechanisms are related to two AE frequencies of 0.2 MHz and 1 MHz. The discussion on these two AE populations brings a stronger analysis and completes the friction and the wear mechanisms results.

Most fretting studies analyze material׳s responses using criteria directly issued from characteristic parameters of the fretting loops (loop aperture, dissipated energy, contact stiffness…). The present study concerns the influence of the device, first element of the tribological triplet, on the gross slip response of a ball-on-flat contact. The role of the static and dynamic device stiffness (vibratory analysis), of the control system mode (imposed displacement or imposed actuator force) and of the material type (ductile or brittle) on the loop shape is analyzed in order to distinguish the respective contributions of devices and materials.

In general, there is no available tool which can help engineers and researchers to choose optimal materials for friction pairs. This article proposes a dual approach for the choice of materials and coatings. First, in order to select the initial materials, a selection matrix helps to rank a reduced number of solutions to a tribological problem with the aim of building the most credible and viable experimental campaign. Then, this experimental phase is necessary for final selection taking into account tribological properties. The final step involves experimental validation on a prototype and on the real device. This methodology was applied on the complex geometry of an air compressor under severe friction conditions. Technical specifications are defined by a functional analysis of the tribological system. Then, the selection matrix is created on the basis of empirical rules and bibliographic data, including predetermined material/coating properties, process considerations, and tribological features, in accordance with the functional analysis. As an example, four potential solutions were tested: diamondlike carbon (DLC) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coatings on 15-5PH stainless steel and two composites, reinforced PTFE and polyetheretherketone (PEEK). Experimental results were then compared to expected values from the specifications. The performance of each solution was highlighted by a graphic radar representation. The selection matrix gave the DLC coatings as one of the best solutions, and experimental tests confirmed this choice while allowing to refine the preselected solutions. This result shows that the selection matrix gives a reliable choice of optimal solutions.

International audience; A new high-speed test rig was designed to simulate the interactions between labyrinth seals and abradable coatings in similar turbo-engine operating conditions. To determine a solution for turbo-engine efficiency enhancement, we investigated the clearance reduction between the rotary parts in air systems, the successive starts and stops, the thermal expansion and the vibrations that might cause direct rub interactions between a rotary seal, known as a labyrinth seal, and a turbo-engine housing coated with a sacrificial abradable material. High interaction speeds from 0 to 130 m s−1 were obtained using a 5-axis milling machine fitted with a unique magnetic bearings spindle developed specifically for the study. The purpose of this paper is to study the interaction phenomena between an abradable material (Al-Si 6%) and a nickel alloy (Alloy 718) to obtain a first contact assessment under different turbo-engine operating conditions. The experimental results are first presented by visual observations of the posttest samples, as specified by accurate profile measurements. A quantitative approach to the interaction forces recorded during the tests and micrographic observations complete the preliminary study. This work provides new basic data for a preliminary study of the interaction between labyrinth seal teeth tips and abradable coatings in turbo-engine applications.

International audience; To enhance the efficiency of a turbo engine, one solution is reducing the clearance between the rotary parts in the secondary air system. This clearance reduction causes direct interactions in the secondary air system of a turbo engine when a rotary seal, called a labyrinth seal, rubs against the turbo engine casing as a result of successive starts and stops, thermal expansions and vibrations. To protect sealing systems from severe damage, abradable coatings are used on the inner periphery of the casing. The purpose of the present paper is to study the labyrinth-abradable interaction during high speed contacts through a detailed tribological characterization. The labyrinth-abradable interaction experiments were conducted on a dedicated test rig that was able to reproduce representative turbo engine operating conditions. A complete tribological analysis based on a third body approach and on accommodation flows was investigated using high speed imaging of the interaction. A schematic description of the interaction, with the addition of images extracted from recorded videos, is proposed to define two types of third body formation and their evolution during labyrinth-abradable interactions. Finally, the labyrinth-abradable interaction life cycle was used as a basis to discuss the coating subject to a labyrinth tip speed increase.

The quasi-static assemblies used in industrial applications are subjected to microsliding due to vibrations of variable amplitudes related to mechanical or aerodynamic instabilities. The titanium alloys used in such structures present extensive wear and must be protected by coatings. This article is devoted to the fretting behaviour of a coated Ti–6Al–4V alloy under free (un-imposed) displacement. The coating is made of a cupronickel alloy (CuNiIn or CuNiSi) topped by a polymer bonded solid lubricant MoS 2 . A fretting map was established to highlight the boundary between wear and seizure. An energetic coefficient of wear considering the global wear volume of the contact and the tribological parameters such as sliding distance and dissipated energy was established. Various morphologies of the third body observed in the contact were analyzed in terms of cohesion, ductility and adhesion. They were correlated to the tribological behaviour of the studied materials.

Titanium alloys are well known to present poor sliding behaviour and high wear values. Various coatings (soft thick coatings and thin hard coatings) and treatments have been tested to prevent such an occurrence under fretting conditions at high frequency of displacement (100 Hz). An original test apparatus, using an open-loop system, has been performed to directly display the phenomenon of seizure. No seizure was recorded at low load (6 N), while, at higher load (10 N), all samples undergo a more or less early seizure. The total sliding distance D 0 proved to be a pertinent parameter to study the seizure resistance. Furthermore, the results highlight that D 0 is linked to the total energy dissipated in the contact, E dt , and reveal two distinct behaviours at low load, which suggest two distinct dissipating mechanisms of energy. The first trend can be connected with the plastic deformation and the trapping process of debris within the contact zone occurring on soft coatings. The second trend can be related to the higher debris ejection observed on hard samples. So, soft thick coating satisfies most of the chosen criteria except those of wear. In contrast, thin and hard coatings are not sufficient to totally protect the substrate but they are already able to efficiently reduce wear.

This work attempts to link tribological and adhesion phenomena in fretting conditions. Fretting experiments were carried out in three environmental conditions (air atmosphere, demineralized water and kerosene) and with various couples of industrial materials. Contacting materials and liquids were chosen mainly for their surface properties, in order to have a wide range of surface free energies. The fretting device included a pin-on-plane configuration. The pin (or slider) was fixed and the plane was the moving substrate. The total distance (d T ) covered by the moving substrate was chosen as the tribological parameter representative of the history of an experiment. The distance d T was then compared to surface parameters such as Dupre's work of adhesion between the two substrates in contact (w 12 ) and with three bodies (w 132 ), the index 3 being the liquid medium. In these conditions, d T = f(w 12 ) and d T = f(w 132 ) variations were found to be linear, thus showing a clear link between friction and adhesion.

The tribological behavior of a thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) sliding against a non-polished steel counterface was studied as a function of load, velocity and temperature under dry conditions. Thermomechanical and chemical analyses were carried out on the TPU using DSC, FTIR and DMTA devices prior to the sliding tests. Contact changes were followed using a speed camera and an acoustic emission device. A simple thermal numerical simulation, to calculate temperature rise generated by friction, completes these analyses. To characterize wear performances, a wear rate was determined by considering the linear dependence between the wear volume and the product of the normal load by the travel distance (Archard model). Finally, wear mechanisms of TPU involve both abrasion scratches and adhesion patterns (Schallamach ridges). To conclude, a wear process description using the third body approach was proposed to gather the whole tribological results.

International audience; The quality of innovating PDC (Polycrystalline Diamond Compact) bits materials needs to be determined with accuracy by measuring cutting efficiency and wear rate, both related to the overall mechanical properties. An original approach is developed to encompass cutting efficiency and wear contribution to the overall sample quality. Therefore, a lathe-type test device was used to abrade specific samples from various manufacturers. Post-experiment analyzes are based on models establishing coupled relationships between cutting and friction stresses related to the drag bits excavation mechanism. These models are implemented in order to evaluate cutting efficiency and to estimate wear of the diamond insert. Phase analysis by XRD and finite element simulations were performed to explain the role of physicochemical parameters on the calculated quality factor values. Four main properties of PDC material were studied to explain quality results obtained in this study: cobalt content in samples that characterizes hardness/fracture toughness compromise, undesired phase as tungsten carbide weakening diamond structure, diamond grains sizes and residual stresses distribution affecting abrasion resistance.

Relative movements of low amplitudes between two materials in contact are generally reproduced on fretting devices with imposed displacement or imposed tangential force. The damage kinetics observed (cracking, wear) is established under such conditions. In this article, a fretting device working under free displacement is used to characterize the damages generated by seizure and wear. The conditions of seizure are analyzed from the total sliding distance and the discussion is focused on a correlation established with Dupre's work of adhesion. The wear behavior of materials has been characterized from an energetic wear coefficient taking into account the wear volume of contact, the total sliding distance and the dissipated energy.

A new tribometer was designed to study the reactivity of rubbing surfaces under controlled environmental conditions. The contacting samples are isolated from the atmosphere by a chamber under secondary vacuum (10 −6 mbar) where reactive gasses can be injected. The sample chamber can also be heated up to 900 °C by a radiative furnace. The sliding velocity can be varied from 0.05 to 1.5 m/s and the applied load from 5 to 100 N (contact pressure ranged between 130 MPa and 1.3 GPa). The instrumentation of the tribometer enables continuous measurement of the normal and tangential forces, vertical displacement of the contacting samples, temperature in the vicinity of the contact zone, partial pressure and gas composition in the test chamber and electrical contact resistance. The design difficulties have been exposed and the chosen technological solutions are presented. A test has been carried out to validate the tribological device.