The effect of multi-scale laser textured surface on lubrication regime

Abstract Laser surface texturing (LST) is a surface engineering process used to improve tribological characteristics of materials by creating patterned microstructures on the mechanical contact surface. In LST technology, a pulsated laser beam is used to create arranged dimples on surface by a material ablation process, which can improve load capacity, wear resistances, lubrication lifetime, and reduce friction coefficients. In the present study, the effect of multi-scale LST on lubricant regime was investigated. A pulsed Nd:YAG laser was applied on steel (AISI 52100) to create arranged dimples. To optimize the surface texturing effect on friction, multi-scale texture dimples with some specific formula arrays were fabricated by laser ablation process by combining circles and ellipses. The tribological testing of multi-scale textured surface was performed by a flat-on-flat unidirectional tribometer under lubrication, and the results compared with that of untextured surface. Through an increase in sliding speed and dimple depth the beneficial effect of multi-scale LST performance was achieved. The multi-scale textured surface had lower friction coefficient performance than the untextured surface due to hydrodynamic lubrication effect.

[1]  J. A. Walowit,et al.  A Theory of Lubrication by Microirregularities , 1966 .

[2]  Akira Kohyama,et al.  Effect of geometrical parameters in micro-grooved crosshatch pattern under lubricated sliding friction , 2010 .

[3]  I. Etsion.  State of the art in Laser Surface Texturing , 2004 .

[4]  Izhak Etsion,et al.  The effect of laser surface texturing on transitions in lubrication regimes during unidirectional sliding contact. , 2005 .

[5]  L. M. Vilhena,et al.  Influence of texturing parameters and contact conditions on tribological behaviour of laser textured surfaces , 2011 .

[6]  Xiaolei Wang,et al.  The effect of dimple shapes on friction of parallel surfaces , 2011 .

[7]  M. Cho,et al.  Micro CNC surface texturing on polyoxymethylene (POM) and its tribological performance in lubricated sliding , 2011 .

[8]  S. Yi,et al.  Dry Sliding Tribological Properties of Fe-Based Bulk Metallic Glass , 2012, Tribology Letters.

[9]  Fei Zhou,et al.  Geometric Shape Effects of Surface Texture on the Generation of Hydrodynamic Pressure Between Conformal Contacting Surfaces , 2010 .

[10]  I. Etsion,et al.  Testing piston rings with partial laser surface texturing for friction reduction , 2006 .

[11]  Jianping Gao,et al.  Structures, solvation forces and shear of molecular films in a rough nano-confinement , 2000 .

[12]  B. Podgornik.  Coated machine elements — fiction or reality? , 2001 .

[13]  Wei Huang,et al.  The lubricant retaining effect of micro-dimples on the sliding surface of PDMS , 2012 .

[14]  Y. Chae,et al.  Tribological characteristics of silicon nitride at elevated temperatures , 2001 .

[15]  Koshi Adachi,et al.  Optimization of the surface texture for silicon carbide sliding in water , 2006 .

[16]  L. M. Vilhena,et al.  Effectiveness and design of surface texturing for different lubrication regimes , 2012 .