Effect of laser surface texturing on dry-sliding wear characteristics of alloy K-500

The present study investigates the laser surface texturing of alloy K-500 to enhance wear resistance, specifically employing cross-hatched (CT) and dimpled (DT) patterns for dry sliding applications. The wear studies were carried out using a pin-on-disc tribometer. The wear behavior, coefficient of friction, and frictional forces of CT and DT textured samples were systematically evaluated over a range of test conditions. The condition corresponding to the highest wear (20 N load and 0.5 m/second sliding velocity) was identified as the critical regime, and under this condition, the performance of textured samples was compared with that of untextured (plain) samples. Among the tested surfaces, DT-textured samples exhibited superior performance compared to CT and plain samples. A significant reduction in wear and coefficient of friction values of approximately 21% and 12%, respectively, was observed for DT samples compared to plain samples at a load of 20 N and a sliding velocity of 0.5 m/second. Scanning electron microscopy analysis of the worn surfaces revealed wear debris entrapment in the textured surfaces, which initially mitigates abrasive wear. In contrast, plain samples exhibited pronounced abrasive wear during the initial stages, progressing to adhesive and delamination wear mechanisms under continued sliding. The findings underline the effectiveness of laser texturing in managing wear and coefficient of friction in alloy K-500, thus supporting its potential for critical wear applications.