Abstract
The tribological behaviors of two types of seal coatings, nickel–graphite and aluminum–hexagon-boron nitride (Ni–Cg and Al–hBN, respectively) versus a Ti–6Al–4V blade used in turbofan engines were investigated using a high-speed rubbing test. The wear status and damage mechanism of the friction couples were studied and the abradability of the seal coatings was evaluated. By analysis of the coating properties and damage mechanism of the seal couple, the friction heat effect was identified as the key factor influencing blade wear forms as well as coating abradability. A one-dimensional heat conduction model was established to estimate the effect of increasing temperature on the friction interface. The results indicated that in the Ni–Cg and Ti–6Al–4V seal couple, the temperature rising rate (TRR) of the Ti–6Al–4V blade was faster than that of the Ni–Cg coating, and so the Ti–6Al–4V blade softened earlier than the Ni–Cg coating, causing the blade to suffer severe wear. In the Al–hBN and Ti–6Al–4V seal couple, the TRR of the Ti–6Al–4V blade was slower than that of the Al–hBN coating, and so the Al–hBN coating softened first; thus, blade damage was reduced or even replaced by coating adhesion. The square root ratio of thermal diffusivity between the blade and the coating could be taken as an indicator of the ratio of TRR between the blade and coating to predict blade wear status as well as damage mechanism. The results of the model agreed well with the experiment results of the two seal couples used in this study.
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Siyang GAO. He received his bachelor and master degrees in materials processing engineering from Shenyang University of Technology, Shenyang, China, in 2005 and 2008 respectively. He obtained his Ph.D. degree in materials science in 2012 from Institute of Metal research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China. His research interests include materials tribological behaviors under special conditions.
Deli DUAN. She received her B.S. in chemistry from Jilin University in 1991 and Ph.D degree in material science from Institute of Metal Research, CAS in 2006. Her current position is a professor of Institute of Metal Research, CAS. Her research areas cover the tribology of materials under special environment and electro-thermal materials and devices.
Weihai XUE. He received his Ph.D degree in materials science in 2015 from Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMR), Shenyang, China. His current position is a research assistant in IMR. His research interests include high-speed rubbing tribology and tribo-corrosion of biomaterials.
Shu LI. He received his M.S. and Ph.D degrees in materials science from Institute of Metal research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China, in 1990 and 2001 respectively. He joined the Institute of Metal research from 1991. His current position is a senior research fellow. His research areas cover the materials tribological behaviors under special conditions and tribological evaluation method for engineering materials.
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Gao, S., Xue, W., Duan, D. et al. Tribological behaviors of turbofan seal couples from friction heat perspective under high-speed rubbing condition. Friction 4, 176–190 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40544-016-0114-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40544-016-0114-x