In Situ Tribo-Electrochemical Evaluation of Wear of Diamond Composites

Real-time detection of wear between a rubbing pair is of critical significance for the performance and safety of industrial systems. In this research, a tribo-electrochemical method is developed to in situ monitor the friction and wear of diamond materials. The electrochemical impedance and current density were measured under the influence of friction between a pin against a disk of the same diamond composite. It was discovered that the current density is a function of the excitation voltage in a sinusoidal pattern. This was due to the synergetic effects of the amorphization-wear process of diamond. The amplitude and period of the sinusoidal pattern reflect the intensity and the frequency of the process. This electrochemical approach could be used to evaluate the friction and wear of an insulating material in situ, which has not been possible until this study. This research proposes new avenue in the evaluation of electrochemical wear of a hard diamond composite.