Numerical and experimental analysis of surface textures – towards a reproducible and robust design of textures in conformal contacts

• Applicants: Professorin Dr.-Ing. Bettina Frohnapfel; Professor Dr. Peter Gumbsch
• Subject Area: Mechanical Properties of Metallic Materials and their Microstructural Origins ; Coating and Surface Technology ; Synthesis and Properties of Functional Materials
• Term: since 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 438122912

Surface textures are a powerful tool for the manipulation of lubricated contacts. While significantly reducing friction and wear, they can increase load carrying capacity and system lifetime, thus rendering great application potentials in many technical systems. Even though textures have already been studied extensively, little agreement exists about the optimal texture arrangement and shape in the literature. This is partly due to the use of many different experimental set-ups and the strong variation of texture effects with the operating conditions. This project aims at identifying the acting mechanisms in order to then determine how the optimal texture size generally varies with the experimental set-up and its operating conditions. The method of choice is a combined experimental and numerical investigation of spherical dimples in the conformal contact of a pin-on-disc tribometer.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigators: Dr.-Ing. Davide Gatti; Dr.-Ing. Johannes Schneider