Tribological behavior of textured cemented carbide filled with solid lubricants in dry sliding with titanium alloys

Laser surface textures were made on the surfaces of WC/Co cemented carbide disks. Dry sliding friction and wear tests against titanium alloy balls were carried out with four kinds of samples for comparison. Results showed that the smooth surface burnished with solid lubricants cannot effectively improve the frictional performance of the cemented carbide, the textured surface without solid lubricants has a worse tribological behavior compared with the smooth surface, and only the surface texturing combined with solid lubricants shows the benefit in improving the tribological properties. The average friction coefficient and temperature of the textured surface filled with solid lubricants are both reduced compared with those of the smooth surface. Operation with textured surface filled with solid lubricants can also reduce the width of wear scars on the cemented carbide disks and wear loss of titanium alloy balls. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.