Tribological properties of Fe₃Al material under water environment

The tribological properties of Fe₃Al material under water environment sliding against Si₃N₄ ceramic ball were studied using an Optimol SRV oscillating friction and wear tester in a ball-on-disc contact configuration. Effects of load and sliding speed on tribological properties of the Fe₃Al material were investigated. The worn surfaces of the Fe₃Al material were analyzed by a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Wear rate of the Fe₃Al material was in the orders of 10^-4 mm³ m^-1 and increased with increasing load and increasing sliding speed. Friction coefficient of the material was in the range of 0.37-0.6, and decreased slightly with increasing load, but increased at first and then did not vary with increasing sliding speed. The wear mechanism of the material was transformed from microploughing to delaminating with increasing load and sliding speed.