EFFECT OF HUMIDITY ON TRIBOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF SELECTED FRICTION JUNCTIONS WITH AN EVALUATION OF ACOUSTIC EMISSION

The study aimed to compare the effect of humidity on the operation of tribological systems. The tested friction and wear are external properties; therefore, their values may differ significantly depending on the operating parameters of the friction junction and environmental conditions. Tribological tests were carried out on a TRB3 tribometer in a dry sliding mode at a relative humidity of 50% ± 5% and 90% ± 5% in the ball-on-disc configuration with a load of 15 N. The friction junction consisted of a sample made of 100Cr6 steel, and three counter-samples were made of 100Cr6, SiC, and Al2O3 steel. The geometric structure of the surface was examined with an optical profiler. The tribological test results showed reduced linear wear and friction coefficient at a relative humidity of 90% ± 5% compare to its 50% ± 5%. The paper also presents the results for the sound recorded in the 16-bit linear PCM standard and analysed in a Spectra-Plus program.