Electronic spectroscopic study of the tribochemical modifications of TiN-corundum pairs after fretting wear

A TiN coating, deposited by PVD, was rubbed against corundum balls in a lab oratory fretting experiment for different number of cycles. The surface com position and chemical state of the wear tracks, debris found on the TiN coa ting and the transfer layer on the corundum counterbody were determined wit h X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy. The wor n surfaces in all the wear tracks are depleted in oxygen when compared to a native surface, but are similar for the different fretting cycles. The tra nsfer layer seems to be composed mainly of TiO2. The debris is also enriche d in TiO2. The results indicate that the friction peak in TiN-corundum fret ting experiments is not due to chemical differences in the wear tracks or a t the surface of the transfer layer. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rig hts reserved.