Thermal and Tribological Analysis of the Dry Sliding Steel-steel Couple Traversed by an Electrical Current

This study concerns a thermal and tribological analysis of the dry sliding steel-steel couple traversed by an electrical current. The tests were carried out by using a tribometer pin-disc under ambient air environment. The dry friction and wear of this contact are studied with different parameters such as normal load, electrical current and sliding speed (maintained constant V = 0.5 m/s). The test duration is 20 mn. The experimental results obtained show that these parameters have a more or less significant effect on the tribological behavior of the couple. Indeed, the oxidation phenomenon, the particles of wear resulting from this oxidation, their composition, their morphology and their thermal-mechanical properties, under certain conditions, play an important role and determine the life service of this couple. To highlight the effect of these parameters, theoretical calculations based on the theories of Archard and Holm have been done. These calculations allowed us to evaluate the order of magnitude of the mechanical, geometrical, thermal and electrical parameters. The discussion of the results is mainly based on these calculations, optical and SEM observations as well as other phenomena resulting from the friction process.