Wear Characteristics of 0.42%C Carbon Steel in Uni-directional and Reciprocating Friction

Abstract

A comparison of the wear between uni-directional and reciprocating frictions was made on a annealed 0.42%C carbon steel. Wear tests of the two sliding modes were carried out with a special designed testing machine under similar conditions of unlubricated sliding in air.
The results obtained are as follows:
(1) A higher wear is obtained in reciprocating friction for both metallic and oxidative wear.
(2) The surface residual stresses induced by uni-directional friction are always more compressive.
(3) The differences in wear for the two sliding modes can be explained in terms of the differences in the amount of abrasion by the oxidative debris, in the difficulty of plastic flow, and in the fatigue strength at the rubbing surfaces.