Tribology of high-speed metal-on-metal sliding at near-melt and fully-melt interfacial temperatures

The present paper describes results of plate-impact friction experiments conducted to study time-resolved frictional characteristics of sliding interfaces under extreme conditions. By employing pressure–shear impact of tribo–pair materials comprising hard tool-steels against low melt-point metals such as 7075-T6 Al alloys, interfacial normal pressures ranging from 1 to 2 GPa and slip-speeds of approximately 100 m/s have been obtained. The resulting relatively large friction-stresses (100–400 MPa) combined with high slip-speeds generate conditions conducive to interfacial temperatures approaching the near-melt and fully-melt temperature regime of the lower melt-point metal (aluminum alloy) comprising the tribo–pair.