Title: Tribological behaviour of Al2O3/inorganic fullerene-like WS2 composite layer sliding against plastic

Authors: Joanna Korzekwa; Marek Bara; Jacek Pietraszek; Paweł Pawlus

Addresses: Faculty of Computer and Materials Science, University of Silesia, Żytnia Str 10, 41–200 Sosnowiec, Poland ' Faculty of Computer and Materials Science, University of Silesia, Żytnia Str 10, 41–200 Sosnowiec, Poland ' Department of Software Engineering and Applied Statistics, Cracow University of Technology, Al. Jana Pawła II 37, Krakow, Poland ' Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics, Rzeszow University of Technology, Al. Powstańców Warszawy 8, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland

Abstract: With the aim of proposing new materials with good properties for dry sliding contact, aluminium oxide layers Al2O3 with inorganic fullerene-like tungsten disulfide IF-WS2 - were obtained and tested. The results of tribological tests, surface topography measurements and SEM analysis are presented. The top layer of the anodised (porous) aluminium-oxide film was loaded with fullerene-like nanoparticles (NP) of WS2 (IF-WS2). Ethanol (method A) and glycol ethylene (method B) were used as dispersive liquids. The tribological properties were investigated by conducting wear tests of Al2O3/IF-WS2 (inorganic fullerene-like tungsten disulfide) coatings against a TG15 plastic (politertrafluotoethylene - graphite) counter-body under pin-on-plate reciprocating motion in dry contact conditions. Non-parametric statistical ANOVA (by Kruskal-Wallis) showed that Al2O3/IF-WS2 layers (method B) had a higher dispersion of the results of both the friction coefficient and the wear intensity of TG15 material while they were in contact. A lower value of wear intensity and a smaller spread of data predispose the Al2O3/IF-WS2 layer produced by method A more to a sliding contact compared to the layer obtained by method B.

Keywords: aluminium oxide layers; composite layers; lubricants; friction coefficient; wear intensity; tribological behaviour; tribology; Al2O3; inorganic fullerene like WS2; tungsten disulfide; TG15 plastic; politertrafluotoethylene; PTFE; graphite; dry sliding contact; nanoparticles; nanotechnology; ethanol; glycol ethylene; ANOVA.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSURFSE.2016.081035

International Journal of Surface Science and Engineering, 2016 Vol.10 No.6, pp.570 - 584

Received: 06 May 2015
Accepted: 24 Dec 2015

Published online: 19 Dec 2016 *

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