Microscale Analysis of Microgrooved Topography and Laminated Cross-Section on Enhancing Wear Resistance of Water-Lubricated Materials

Abstract

Our previous studies have confirmed the positive effects of microgroove textures and cross-sectional laminated structures on improving the wear resistance of water-lubricated materials at the macroscopic level, while the mechanisms of their effects at the microscopic level are not yet clear. In this paper, microgroove textured surface and laminated cross-section architecture was fabricated on a thermoplastic polyurethane film to improve its tribological properties and the corresponding mechanisms of wear reduction by such microstructures were investigated on a microscopic scale. The results demonstrated that the microgrooved textures retards adhesive wear by reducing direct contact area and adhesion (surface energy). The laminated cross-section helps to attenuate or even dissipate strong localized stresses that can lead to surface abrasion and damage.

Keywords: microscopic tribological properties, nanoindentation, microgrooved texture, laminated structure