Research on the friction and wear behavior of xAlN/FeCoCrNiMn materials under severe conditions

Purpose The aim was to study the influence of AlN content on the wear properties of FeCoCrNiMn materials, and to provide a theoretical basis for developing cylinder liner materials under the condition of methanol/diesel dual fuel. Design/methodology/approach xAlN/FeCoCrNiMn (x = 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 Wt.%) materials were prepared by mechanical alloying combined with hot pressing sintering, and their friction and wear properties under different working conditions (dry friction, oil lubrication, low sulfur boundary lubrication and formic acid boundary lubrication) were studied. Findings xAlN/FeCoCrNiMn materials are mainly composed of Austenite, M23C6, Cr7C3, Mn2O3, CrO2 and AlN phase. With the increase of AlN content, the average friction coefficient and volume wear rate of the material first decrease and then increase. When the AlN content is 1.5 Wt.%, both of them decrease to a minimum. Especially under low sulfur boundary lubrication condition, the average friction coefficient (0.036) and wear rate (0.298 × 10–4•mm3•N - 1•m-1) of the 1.5 Wt.%AlN/FeCoCrNiMn material decrease by 60.44% and 42.25%, respectively. The 1.5 Wt.%AlN/FeCoCrNiMn material also shows excellent wear performance under formic acid boundary lubrication, which is due to the formation of amorphous carbon with good lubrication effect on the worn surface, and AlN phase can support the lubrication film. Originality/value The wear properties of xAlN/FeCoCrNiMn materials under formic acid boundary lubrication were studied for the first time. The addition of AlN effectively improved the wear properties under various working conditions.