article · Journal of Materials Research and Technology
This study examines the wear and friction performance of M50 alloy steel reinforced with aluminium oxide and graphene nanoparticles. Pure M50 steel, an aluminium oxide reinforced composite, and a hybrid composite incorporating both aluminium oxide and graphene were fabricated using spark plasma sintering. The materials were mechanically polished and tested against silicon nitride balls under various applied loads, sliding speeds, and operating temperatures reaching up to 450 degrees Celsius. The hybrid composite containing both aluminium oxide and graphene demonstrated superior wear and friction performance compared to the unreinforced alloy and the composite containing only aluminium oxide. This improvement was driven by a synergistic action between the graphene and aluminium oxide, alongside the formation of a protective tribo-film containing iron, aluminium, chromium, and silicon oxides as well as molybdate.
Mechanical components frequently fail due to friction and surface degradation when operating under high loads, fast speeds, and elevated temperatures. Developing steel composites that resist wear in harsh environments can significantly extend the lifespan of industrial machinery. This research shows that combining ceramic particles with graphene creates self-protective surface films, providing a strategy to engineer tougher materials for severe operating conditions.
This work represents early-stage laboratory research evaluated through standard pin-on-disk tribometer tests. The resulting materials could eventually benefit manufacturers of industrial bearings, cutting tools, or high-temperature machinery components requiring elevated wear resistance. However, the abstract does not indicate any prototype testing or component fabrication, meaning significant technical validation and scale-up work are needed before commercial use is viable.
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The effects of applied load, sliding speed & temperature on the wear behavior of pure M50 alloy steel (M sample) and M50 reinforced with 10 wt.% Al2O3 (MA sample) & M50 hybrid reinforced with Al2O3 and graphene (MAG sample) were studied. The powders were mechanically mixed and sintered by spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique under Argon atmosphere at 1000 °C for 5 min under 35 MPa pressure. The sample surfaces were mechanically prepared to study the wear & friction behaviors via applying mechanical polishing using 0.05 μm diamond pastes and 1200 grit emery papers to enhance the surface roughness. The phase structure and microstructure were estimated using XRD, Electron Probe Micro-Analysis (EPMA, JAX-8230) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS, GENESIS 7000). The hardness and density of all samples were investigated according to HVS-1000 Vickers' hardness test and Archimedes’ principles, respectively. Friction and wear tests were carried on a high-temperature pin-on-disk tribometer (HT-1000). The investigated samples were cut into disk-shaped specimens with 8 mm thickness and 25 mm diameter. Then, the prepared specimens were sliding against silicon nitride (Si3N4) balls. The samples were exposed to four different loads (2, 5, 8, and 11 N). Also, four different sliding speeds (0.18, 0.36, 0.54, and 0.72 m/s) was performed at room temperature (RT). Another group of samples were tested at constant applied load of 11 N and constant sliding speed of 0.72 m/s for four different temperatures (RT, 150, 300, and 450 °C). MAG exhibited enhanced tribological properties compared with M and MA thanks to the synergic action between Al2O3 and graphene as well as the creation of iron oxides, aluminum dioxide, chromium oxide, molybdate, and silicon oxide on the formed tribo-film.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.jmrt.2021.02.082
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