Author:L.MZhanga, H.C. Zhang, Q.G. Zhou, C. Dong

Institute: Department of Materials Science, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China

Quasicrystals, discovered by Shechtman and other scientists in 1984, became a real sensation in the field of crystallography. However, their use in technology has not lived up to expectations. The main obstacles to this are their fragility and porosity, which makes it impossible to use in mass production.

One of the key areas where quasicrystalline materials can be used is tribology, as they provide low friction coefficients and high wear resistance. To date, most research has focused on this topic, which has led to the development of non-stick pans using quasicrystalline materials. The table below shows the characteristic friction coefficients for typical quasicrystalline materials and some popular alloys, where it can be seen that bulk and coated quasicrystalline materials have high microhardness with a significantly lower friction coefficient than aluminum alloys.

In a broader sense, quasicrystalline materials include not only quasicrystals but also related crystalline structures known as approximants, which may have similar properties. In this paper, we present data on the dry sliding behavior of some sintered and cast bulk phases of B2 approximants and their superstructures, aiming to explore the possibility of using them instead of quasicrystals.

Friction measurements on quasi-crystalline Al–Cu–Fe and B2-type materials are an important aspect of studying their tribological properties. Quasicrystals, with their unique aristocratic symmetry and structural ordering, exhibit interesting mechanical characteristics, including high hardness and significant wear resistance. At the same time, B2-type materials, with their more traditional crystalline structure, can exhibit different tribological behavior when interacting with different surfaces.

The friction measurement experiments used standard methods such as tribometers, which allow the friction coefficient to be estimated under various conditions, including different loads and sliding speeds. Analysis of the obtained data showed that quasi-crystalline materials generally have a lower friction coefficient than traditional alloys, making them promising for applications in areas such as mechanical engineering and the production of highly loaded parts.

Further research in this area is particularly relevant to improve the performance of materials and expand their range of applications in modern technologies where critical wear resistance and performance requirements are a priority.