Wear phenomena occurring to journal hearing coatings, designed for extreme performance, are studied on the micro-nanometer scale by means of scanning probe microscopy, particularly the atomic force microscope in the friction force mode. A morphological as well as tribological investigation on the micro-nanometer scale has been carried out on bushes of different type, namely on electroplated and cast bushes. Wear is investigated by comparing the morphology of specimens obtained from different parts of the same hearing that have undergone different levels of wear.The results obtained provide further elements, in addition to the more standard macro-tribological characterization, for the choice of the material of best performance. In particular electroplated hushes have been confirmed to exhibit the best tribological behaviour since their sliding friction coefficient is lower than the one measured on the cast hush.
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