Tribological properties of Fe7Mo6-based alloy under two ionic liquid lubrications

The tribological properties of Fe7Mo6-based alloy, Mo, Fe and ASTM class no. 45 cast iron disk specimens were investigated against ASTM 52100 steel balls under the lubrication of two different kinds of hydrophobic ionic liquid: N-methyl-N-propylpiperidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (PP13-TFSI) and N-N-N-trimethyl-N-propylammonium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (TMPA-TFSI). When lubricated with PP13-TFSI or TMPA-TFSI, the Fe7Mo6-based alloy disk specimens exhibited lower friction coefficients and lower wear rates than the Mo, Fe and ASTM class no. 45 cast iron disk specimens. The low friction coefficients and low wear rates of the Fe7Mo6-based alloy were considered to be caused by the formation of low friction materials such as MoO3 and FeSO4 on the worn surface.