Experimental study on frictional characteristics of alumina surface through biologically inspired catfish and shark fish scale like laser textures under dry and lubricating condition

laser surface texturing (LST) is a commonly used surface modification technique with a significant amount of current research focus. Surface modification has many industrial applications due to the number of properties of a material that are surface depended such as friction, lubrication, corrosion resistance and wear. In this present work, a pin on disc experimental work is carried out to investigate the frictional characteristics of alumina under dry and lubricating conditions for varying normal load (2N, 4N & 6N) and speed (400 rpm & 800 rpm). We have laser textured the sliding path surface with two patterns, which look like the scale of shark fish and catfish. Upon investigation of the frictional characteristics of laser textured surfaces of alumina under dry and lubricating conditions, we have found the laser surface texturing on sliding path surface on alumina has shown significant frictional performance. In addition to this, a conventional engine oil (SAE 20W50) was selected as a lubricant and the same testing procedure was repeated to study the frictional behaviour of the laser textured alumina surfaces. After all running-in test of all samples of laser textured alumina surface, samples, which was laser textured with the pattern of catfish scale has exhibited better frictional characteristics, it has exhibited the friction in the range of 0.352 – 0.477 and 0.044 – 0.067 under dry and engine oil lubrication respectively.