Experimental and Numerical Atomistic Investigation of the Third Body Formation Process in Dry Tungsten/Tungsten-Carbide Tribo Couples

• Published in: Tribology letters 2013-04, Vol.50 (1), p.67-80
• Main Authors: Stoyanov, Pantcho, Romero, Pedro A., Järvi, Tommi T., Pastewka, Lars, Scherge, Matthias, Stemmer, Priska, Fischer, Alfons, Dienwiebel, Martin, Moseler, Michael
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analytical techniques; Chemistry and Materials Science; Computer simulation; Corrosion and Coatings; Couples; Dislocations; Edge dislocations; Grain refinement; Ion beams; Jamming; Materials Science; Molecular dynamics; Nanostructure; Nanotechnology; Organic chemistry; Original Paper; Photoelectrons; Physical Chemistry; Plastic deformation; Shear bands; Sliding; Surfaces and Interfaces; Theoretical and Applied Mechanics; Thin Films; Tribology; Tungsten; Tungsten carbide
• ISSN: 1023-8883; 1573-2711
• DOI: 10.1007/s11249-012-0085-7

The third body in tungsten/tungsten-carbide sliding systems is studied using a combination of experiments and atomistic simulations. Ex situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and focused ion beam analysis of the structural and chemical changes near the surfaces reveals that sliding of tungsten against tungsten-carbide results in plastic deformation of the W surface, leading to grain refinement, and the formation of a mechanically mixed amorphous layer on the WC counter body. Molecular dynamics simulations of W/WC sliding couples exhibit the formation of a nanoscale amorphous W/WC interface. The infrequent occurrence of atomic jamming events in the interface resulted in the emission of dislocations into the W bulk and the generation of amorphous shear bands in the WC counter body in agreement with the different third bodies observed in W and WC after the experiments.