Tribological performance of Fe ₆₇B ₃₃ alloy prepared by a self-propagating high-temperature synthesis technique

A bulk Fe ₆₇B ₃₃ alloy was prepared by a self-propagating high-temperature synthesis technique that is convenient, low in cost, and capable of being scaled up for tailoring the bulk materials. The Fe ₆₇B ₃₃ alloy is composed of dendrites with the t-Fe ₂B phase and eutectic matrix with the α-Fe and t-Fe ₂B phases. The content of the dendrite t-Fe ₂B is above 80 vol.%. The compressive fractured strength and Vickers microhardness are 3400 MPa and 12.4 GPa, respectively. The tribological performance of the Fe ₆₇B ₃₃ alloy is investigated under dry sliding and water lubricant against Si ₃N ₄ ceramic ball. The wear rates of the Fe ₆₇B ₃₃ alloy are of the magnitude of 10 ^-5 to 10 ^-4 mm ³/m under water lubricant. It is lower than that of the Fe ₆₇B ₃₃ alloy under dry sliding (10 ^-4 mm ³/m). But both the friction coefficients are almost identical. Oxide layers form in both environments via different tribochemical mechanisms, which led to significant differences in wear behavior.