Microscopic Studies of Diffusion and Segregation Processes in Heavily Loaded Tribosystems

The construction of a wearing-process model is considered. This model should take into account not only the complex multilevel organization of the process, but also give recommendation for creating conditions in which a transition occurs from the destructive process to that of creative kind in friction of metal-polymer pairs. A relationship is determined between the diffusion and triboelectric processes, on the one hand, and the hydrogen wear mechanism, on the other. A quantum-chemical calculation of the decomposition energy of segregation complexes was performed for all chemical elements from five periods of Mendeleev’s table with atomic numbers of 1 to 54. It was shown that some segregated atoms make stronger the binding between crystals in iron, while others favor their weakening. Methods were developed for tribotechnical modification of steel samples, and tests were performed of how the new method for modification of the surface of steel affects its tribotechnical characteristics.