| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 620202 | Wear | 2006 | 10 Pages |
The effect of alumina nanoparticles suspended in an aqueous acetate buffer solution on the tribocorrosion behaviour of a 316L steel/alumina sliding contact was investigated using a reciprocating wear test rig equipped with an electrochemical cell. Through the addition of 10% volume of alumina nanoparticles to an acetate buffer solution it was possible to reduce the coefficient of friction by a factor of 2 and the stainless steel wear by a factor of 10 and this over a range of electrochemical and mechanical conditions. The presence of alumina particles caused a significant wear on the alumina counter part. The lubricating behaviour of the suspension was comparable to a commercial oil in water emulsion used for metal cutting. The lubricating effect was attributed to a third body formed by nanoparticles trapped within the contact. The agglomeration state of the alumina particles and their size were found to play a critical role.
