Comparative wear mapping techniques: I: Friction and wear mapping of tungsten carbide/silicon carbide

Pin-on-disc tests of tungsten carbide pins against silicon carbide discs were performed and wear rate, mechanism and friction maps constructed. Correlations were observed between the wear mode and the friction of the pin-disc interface, and between the qualitative incidence of disruptive wear mechanisms and the wear rate.

A microploughing wear mechanism was most prevalent at low test loads, but co-existing multiple mechanisms were observed at many velocity-load combinations. Three separate regimes of frictional behaviour were observed over the test length. Standard wear maps were found to be inadequate as aids to inter-wear test comparison.

Methods of measuring the severity and prevalence of wear mechanisms, to produce 'quantitative mechanism maps' are required.