The Dry Sliding Behavior of Aluminum Alloys Against Steel in Sheave Wheel Applications

摘要

The dry sliding behavior of various 2xxx and 7xxx aluminum alloys with and without nickel-aluminum bronze-coatings were evaluated for industrial sheave wheel applications involving steel cables. In order to simulate the wear caused by a cable within the sheave groove, wear tests were conducted using a pin-on-ring wear test configuration. For these tests, the various aluminum alloys were worn against a 387 steel using an interfacial pressure of 13.9 MPa and a sliding velocity of 9.42 m/s. Results indicated that for the conditions studied, the 7xxx aluminum alloys exhibited a superior wear resistance relative to the 2xxx aluminum alloys with and without nickel-aluminum bronze coatings. A wear mode analysis based upon optical and electron microscopy revealed material removal mechanisms dominated by adhesive and abrasive wear. Moreover, a statistical analysis indicated a potential relationship between wear rate and a combination of yield strength, solidus temperature and post-wear inverse hardness.