Fretting corrosion wear behaviors of steel wires in hoisting ropes in alkaline condition

In this paper, the fretting corrosion wear behaviors of steel wires were researched when the wires were lubricated with alkaline solution. Then, the wear mechanism was analyzed. Results showed that the friction coefficients of wires lubricated with alkaline solution were little influenced by the loads, while greatly affected by the electrochemical corrosion existing on the surfaces of the friction pairs. The shape of most of the fretting wear debris was tuberous or near spherical which owns smooth edges. This kind of wear debris was beneficial to reduce the fretting wear of steel wires. The depth of wear scar, used to evaluate the fretting corrosion wear of the steel wires, was increased with the increase of load. In addition, the wear depth of the wire lubricated with alkaline solution was not only less than which obtained in dry friction condition, but also less than which lubricated with deionized water and acid solution. Analysis showed that the corrosion solution played an important part in the fretting corrosion wear. And the effect of corrosion solution to the wear was stronger than which to the corrosion of steel wire materials.