Dry Sliding Wear of Clean Metals

The term dry means no deliberate lubrication, and the term clean indicates no obvious oxide scale or
greasy residue.

60-40 Brass versus Tool Steel. A.W.J. DeGee and J.H. Zaat (Ref 1) found that adhesive wear occurs via
two

different mechanisms. These two mechanisms produce two effects, which are shown in Fig. 2 for 60-40
brass rubbing

against tool steel. Brass was found to have transferred to steel where it remains attached, but some
brass is also removed

(worn) from the system. The extent of each event depends on the zinc content in the brass:

• Local adherence of brass to steel: No iron is observed to be present in the wear fragments. Brass

particles come loose from the steel, but new material fills the impression again. Most of the steel
surface

remains undisturbed as seen by the unaltered surface features. The oxide film present on the brass is

composed of CuO. The combination of CuO plus iron oxide apparently lubricates well except at some

isolated points where brass transfers to steel

• Continuous film: The oxide present on the brass surface is zinc oxide. This oxide possibly does not

lubricate and there is a considerable adhesion area. A thin film of brass is found on the steel in which

the wear particles are large but few. This film covers (that is, fills) the surface roughness so that the