Session: 03-13-01: Manufacturing: General I

Paper Number: 165829

Tribological Performance of the Thermo-Mechanically Processed Non Equiatomic Feconimnal High-Entropy Alloy Under Different Applied Normal Load 

Tribology is the study of friction, wear, and lubrication between two surfaces in relative motion. It plays a crucial role in engineering, as surface degradation due to wear and tear is a major concern in design applications. Understanding tribological principles helps improve the performance, durability, and efficiency of mechanical systems by minimizing material loss and energy consumption. Proper lubrication and surface treatments can significantly reduce friction and wear, extending the lifespan of components. Tribology is widely applied in industries such as automotive, aerospace, and biomedical engineering, where optimizing surface interactions is essential for reliability, safety, and cost-effective maintenance. Wear and friction have been found to account for 23% of energy consumption, resulting in billions of dollars in losses for several sectors. A total of 21.5% and 33% of the fuel is used to drive passenger cars and heavy-duty vehicles, respectively, and the rest of the fuel is dissipated to overcome friction in the engine, transmission, tires, and brakes. High entropy alloys (HEAs) have emerged as promising materials for wear-resistant applications due to their unique multi-element composition and superior mechanical properties. This study investigated the wear behavior of a non-equiatomic FeCoNiAlMn-based HEA under varying applied loads of 10N, 20N, and 30N using a fretting tribometer. The rationale behind selecting this particular HEA in the present investigation is its favorable mechanical, electrical, and magnetic properties, which render potentially valuable for structural engineering applications. The phase formation and microstructure studies of the developed HEA were performed by employing X-ray diffraction and electron back-scattered diffraction respectively. Besides, the wear tests were conducted under dry sliding conditions at a constant sliding speed to evaluate the coefficient of friction (COF) and specific wear rate (SWR). The results revealed a notable decrease in the COF with an increase in applied load, indicating improved lubricity at higher contact pressures due to forming a more stable tribo-layer. Conversely, the SWR exhibited an increasing trend with the applied load, suggesting that the material removal rate was directly influenced by the intensified contact stresses and progressive deformation. A wear morphology of the worn-out surface was also present to understand the wear mechanism. The study highlights the importance of load-dependent tribological performance in HEAs. It provides critical insights into their wear resistance, essential for their potential applications in high-stress environments such as aerospace, automotive, and industrial machinery. Understanding the interplay between load, COF, and SWR is crucial for optimizing HEA compositions for superior wear resistance, ensuring their long-term durability in demanding tribological applications.

Presenting Author: Rajnish P. Modanwal Indian Institute of Technology Indore

Presenting Author Biography: I have extensive research experience in the fabrication and development of high entropy alloys, particularly focusing on soft magnetic materials. My work involves hands-on experimentation with high entropy alloy synthesis using arc melting and induction melting techniques, followed by thermomechanical processing such as cold-rolling and annealing to tailor their microstructure and properties. I have a strong understanding of magnetic properties. Additionally, I have conducted tensile testing to analyse the mechanical behavior of high entropy alloys. My expertise extends to tribological studies, where I have performed wear tests, with the help of fretting wear machine including pin-on-disc and ball-on-disc methods, to evaluate the wear resistance and frictional behavior of high entropy alloys under different conditions. My research contributes to the optimization of high entropy alloys for advanced engineering applications, particularly in the development of high-performance soft magnetic materials with improved mechanical and tribological properties.

Authors:

Rajnish P. Modanwal Indian Institute of Technology Indore
Aswani Kumar Singh Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Dan Sathiaraj Indian Institute of Technology Indore
Tanmay Tiwari The University of Akron
Chandra Sekhar Rakurty The M. K. Morse Company