Tribological behavior of femtosecond laser-textured leaded brass

The tribological behavior of femtosecond laser-textured leaded brass samples under five surface roughness and four lubrication conditions were studied. The results have shown that under a variety of lubrication conditions, the coefficient of friction of laser-textured leaded brass exhibited consistent changes. As the roughness increased, the friction coefficient first increased and then decreased. Under a variety of friction conditions, the surface roughness was different when the friction coefficient was the smallest. Under the conditions of dry friction, water lubrication, starved-oil lubrication, and oil lubrication, the maximum reduction ratio of the coefficient of friction was 13.28%, 27.64%, 8.09%, 10.79%. The wear mechanism was mainly adhesive wear and abrasive wear, but there were also differences in specific wear mechanisms. Corrosive wear still existed under the water lubrication. The wear area of the laser-textured surface was larger than that of the unprocessed surface. According to the above sequence, except for water lubrication, the maximum reduction ratio of the wear area was 8.54%, 51.35%, and 88.39%. •Tribological characteristics of femtosecond textured lead brass are inconsistent.•Abrasive wear and adhesive wear domains the wear mechanisms.•Under water lubrication, friction coefficient decreased the most with the reduction ratio as 27.64%.•Under the condition of oil lubrication, wear area was reduced the most with the reduction ratio as 88.39%.