Sliding wear studies using acoustic emission

Abstract Deformation processes in solids, such as dislocation movements under plastic flow, crack propagation and void crushing, produce stress waves at ultrasonic frequencies, usually described as acoustic emission (AE), which can be detected by sensitive instruments and which are related to the severity and nature of the deformations. The paper discusses the characteristics of the stress waves and their variation with wear rates, wear regimes and friction forces, as determined during laboratory experiments on metallic specimens in relative sliding motion, both unlubricated and with elastohy-drodynamic lubrication. It is shown that there are systematic relationships between the acoustic emissions, the wear rates, the frictional work inputs and established tribological contact variables. The predominant frequencies of the emissions are also evaluated and considered in relation to the materials and wear conditions.