Wear behaviour and surface form evolution of a novel titanium carbide implanted surface under lubricated conditions

Tribological behaviour (friction and wear) of heavily loaded lubricated surfaces is found to be influenced by the presence of very small scale surface textures. The Indirect Structuring process, which is described here, is a new method of surface texture production through implantation of a surface with wear-resistant regions. During use a surface texture is developed and maintained because, at a given wear rate, the wear-resistant regions can sustain higher contact pressures than can the substrate. Indirect Structuring of a tool steel surface was carried out by laser implantation of the surface with titanium carbide implants, and rolling contact experiments were conducted under elastohydrodynamic and mixed-lubrication regimes. It was found that the indirect structuring process produces a surface structure which fulfils the design requirements for textured tool surfaces, and which is insensitive to the load applied to the surface. The mechanisms found to steer the development of the surface texture may be used to develop design methods for application of the Indirect Structuring process.