Tribological Properties of Several Surface-Modified Piston Rings Under Extreme Conditions

Abstract This article explores the performance of different commercial piston rings when matched with a boron-phosphorus (BP) alloy cast iron cylinder liner, specifically in high-power density diesel engines. The focus is on the friction, wear, and scuffing characteristics. An interrupted wear test was conducted under lean oil conditions to study the scuffing behavior of plated Cr-diamonds coating (GDC) and diamond-like carbon coating (DLC). The findings reveal that DLC coatings exhibit superior tribological properties, displaying low friction coefficients and wear loss at temperatures of 150 °C and 240 °C. In contrast, GDC coatings demonstrate relatively poor performance. Additionally, the DLC coating demonstrates excellent scuffing resistance, as no material transfer was observed for up to 77 min, even without lubrication. The interrupted scuffing test reveals that the scuffing process undergoes a stable wear stage, followed by a sudden drop and subsequent increase in friction force, ultimately resulting in scuffing when the BP cylinder is paired with GDC. On the other hand, although the frictional force of DLC initially increases after a brief decline, no significant adhesive wear is observed. This can be attributed to the formation of a tribo-chemical layer of carbides, which effectively prevents scuffing. In comparison to traditional methods of postwear morphology and analysis, our proposed interrupted scuffing tests offer enhanced capabilities for evaluating the wear condition of friction pairs at various time intervals during the oil depletion process. This novel approach introduces a new paradigm for investigating wear patterns in different friction pairs.