Paper XII(ii) Correlation between wear rate and structural data of debris

Local analysis is the study of the immediate environment of selected atoms in materials. Analytical data have been collected on wear particles by EXAFS (Extended X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure). Different cases are here investigated to establish the correlation between tribological data (wear rate) and structural data on wear debris (local environment, nature of atomic bonds, etc…), with an anti-wear additive (zinc dithiophosphate), a detergent (neutral calcium sulfonate) and the combination of both two. It has been found that whatever the combination of additives used, high wear rates are associated with micro-crystalline wear particles. Conversely, low wear rates are associated with highly amorphous debris.