Friction and electrical contact resistance in reciprocating nano-scale wear testing of metallic materials

Reciprocating contacts occur in a wide variety of practical wear situations including hip joints and electrical contacts. In developing tribological tests for candidate materials with improved durability these it is beneficial that the contact conditions (e.g. sliding speed) can be reproduced. Hence, fully instrumented capability rapid high-cycle linear reciprocating nano-scale has been developed. It multi-sensing high data acquisition measurements probe displacement data, friction, cumulative frictional energy dissipation resistance. comparison other nanoindenters design level lateral rigidity which provides sufficient stability to perform nano- or micro-scale extended duration several hours, up 300 m sliding). this study, nano-wear diamond probes have performed on biomedical alloys Ti6Al4V 316L stainless steel, electrically conductive metallic gold silver alloys. The steel exhibited ductile response low friction throughout load range. At higher loads Ti6Al4V, there was an abrupt transition fracture-dominated after ~20 cycles. Improved detection onset subsequent failure mechanisms against possible by approach simultaneously monitoring resistance (ECR). Changes ECR complex correlation changes measured friction. noble metal-noble metal (Au–Au Ag–Ag) showed much longer endurance than vs. although occasional isolated failures were observed. A new analysis repetitive nano-scratch test also developed enabling mining.