Role of in situ generated tribofilm on the tribological characteristics of monolith and TiB2 reinforced MoSi2 intermetallic

Wear experiments performed on steel disc with increasing load for monolithic MoSi2 of different densities and its composite with TiB2 showed three distinct wear regimes. The specimens exhibited severe wear rate below the lower and above the upper critical loads and mild wear in between the two critical loads. The increase in density of the monolith and the reinforcement of TiB2 were effective in reducing the coefficient of friction and the specific wear rate. The wear experiments have been performed in these three regimes (15, 50 and 75 N). The tribofilm formed on the pin surface was found to contain both pin and disc materials. The temperature of the pins during the sliding against EN-24 disc was calculated using one dimensional heat transfer equation at different loads for each composition. The composite experiences lower temperatures compared to the monoliths. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.