Interface temperature during contact sliding of two solids: Relationship between predicted flash temperature and the experimentally measured

Abstract

This paper investigates the relationship between the predicted interface flash temperature and the experimentally measured temperature when two solids are in contact sliding. To reveal this, both pin-on-disc experiments and finite element simulations were carried out systematically. The infrared technique was used to experimentally measure the interface temperature. Bulk metallic glass was especially selected as the pin material because this material can have microstructural changes to record its temperature history experienced. Transmission electron microscopic analysis showed that nanocrystallisation occurred during the contact sliding, showing that the temperature at the real contact area must have exceeded glass transition temperature, Tg of the bulk metallic glass and reached its onset temperature of crystallisation Tx. However, the temperature measured was much less than the glass transition temperature Tg. On the other hand, the finite element analysis showed that the temperature at the pin surface was beyond Tg when the flash temperature reached Tx. The study thus concluded that there exists a thermal resistance due to the complex surface morphology of rough surfaces, which alters the thermal conductance in the neighbourhood of the contact interface.