Fretting contact study of Ti–6Al–4 V/graphite couples in a dry shaft/bearing contact with thrust: Influence of plasma nitriding of the titanium alloy

Fretting wear or wear by small displacements is defined when two contacting surfaces (first-bodies) are subjected to small amplitude reciprocating motion of micron order. This phenomenon is observed in many mechanical assemblies and it can significantly reduce the contact mechanisms life. This paper reports on the influence of nitriding treatment of the titanium alloy on the fretting tribological behaviour of graphite/Ti–6Al–4 V couple in a dry shaft/bearing contact with thrust. Two contact geometries are investigated: cylinder-in-cylinder and flat/flat. These fretting contacts are subjected to low-amplitude oscillatory movements, with temperature reaching 270 °C. The nitriding treatment for the Ti–6Al–4 V was carried out with a gas mixture N 2/H 2 at moderate temperature (700 °C) for 12 h. In these conditions, the maximum surface hardness was improved by a factor three. In this study, the mechanism of transfer and wear of graphite against Ti–6Al–4 V nitrided or not, have been studied with a scanning electron microscope, an optical microscope and an interferential microscope. The morphological and profile analysis performed on rubbing surfaces showed various aspects of wear: prints, craters, transfer ... and allowed to explain the location, development and origin of the degradation. The friction couples have showed differences between the tests realised with the shafts with or without nitriding and especially at an elevated temperature. We discuss the experimental results and we suggest several possibilities in order to understand some specific tribological behaviour: impact of the third body, of the abrasion, etc.