Tribological surface and lapping method and system therefor

Abstract

A method of operating a tribological system including the steps of: (a) providing a workpiece having a tribological working surface, the working surface including: (i) a metal surface layer; (ii) a plurality of organic particles intimately incorporated in the metal surface layer, and (iii) a plurality of inorganic particles incorporated in the working surface, the inorganic particles having a Mohs hardness of at least 8; (b) providing a counter-surface disposed opposite the working surface; (c) disposing a lubricant between the working surface and the counter-surface; (d) providing at least one mechanism, associated with at least one of the working surface and the second surface, for applying a relative motion between the surfaces, and for exerting a load on the surfaces; (e) exerting the load between the working surface and the counter-surface, and (f) applying the relative motion between the working surface and the counter-surface.

1 . A method of operating a tribological system comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a workpiece having a tribological working surface, said working surface including:
 (i) a metal surface layer; 
 (ii) a plurality of organic particles incorporated in said metal surface layer, and 
 (iii) a plurality of inorganic particles incorporated in said working surface, said inorganic particles having a Mohs hardness of at least 8; 
   (b) providing a counter-surface disposed opposite said working surface;   (c) disposing a lubricant between said working surface and said counter-surface;   (d) providing at least one mechanism, associated with at least one of the working surface and said second surface, for applying a relative motion between said surfaces, and for exerting a load on said surfaces, said surfaces, said lubricant, and said at least one mechanism forming the tribological system;   (e) exerting said load between said working surface and said counter-surface, and   (f) applying a relative motion between said working surface and said counter-surface.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said inorganic particles are selected from the group of abrasive particles consisting of corundum, alumina, silicon carbide, and boron carbide. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said inorganic particles include alumina particles. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said working surface is a steel. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal working surface has a Rockwell C hardness of at least 20. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said inorganic particles have a population density of at least 10,000 particles per square millimeter. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said inorganic particles have a population density of at least 50,000 particles per square millimeter. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said organic particles are intimately bonded to said metal surface layer. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said organic particles are sufficiently bonded to said metal surface layer so as to remain incorporated in said metal surface layer after subjection to a vacuum of 10 −10  torr for five minutes. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said inorganic particles are incorporated in said organic particles. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said organic particles form a nanolayer on said working surface. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of said inorganic particles are incorporated in said nanolayer on said working surface. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said inorganic particles is at least partially covered by said organic particles. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of said inorganic particles is at least partially covered by said nanolayer. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said organic particles have a coverage density of at least 0.1%. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said inorganic particles have a coverage density of at least 0.1%. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said organic particles have a coverage density of at least 0.1%, said inorganic particles have a coverage density of at least 0.1%, and a combined coverage density of said organic particles and said inorganic particles is at least 1%. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said organic particles and said inorganic particles have a combined coverage density of at least 1%. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein, within said population density, at least 90% of said inorganic particles have a diameter of less than 1000 nanometers. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein at least 90% of said inorganic particles have a diameter of less than 300 nanometers. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein at least 50% of said inorganic particles have a diameter of less than 100 nanometers. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein, within said coverage density, at least 90% of said inorganic particles have a diameter of less than 1000 nanometers. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said working surface includes at least 0.5% iron, by weight. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said tribological system is disposed in an engine. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said tribological system is disposed in an internal combustion engine. 
   
   
       26 . A method of operating a tribological system comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a workpiece having a tribological working surface, said working surface including:
 (i) a metal surface layer; 
 (ii) a plurality of organic particles incorporated in said metal surface layer, and 
 (iii) a plurality of inorganic particles incorporated in said working surface, said inorganic particles having a Mohs hardness of at least 8; 
   (b) providing a counter-surface disposed opposite said working surface;   (c) disposing a lubricant between said working surface and said counter-surface;   (d) providing at least one mechanism, associated with at least one of the working surface and said second surface, for applying a relative motion between said surfaces, and for exerting a load on said surfaces, said surfaces, said lubricant, and said at least one mechanism forming the tribological system;   (e) exerting said load between said working surface and said counter-surface, and   (f) applying a relative motion between said working surface and said counter-surface,   
     wherein said organic particles and said inorganic particles have a combined coverage density of at least 0.5%. 
   
   
       27 . A method of operating a tribological system comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a workpiece having a tribological working surface, said working surface including:
 (i) a metal surface layer; 
 (ii) a plurality of inorganic particles incorporated in said working surface, said inorganic particles having a Mohs hardness of at least 8; 
   (b) providing a counter-surface disposed opposite said working surface;   (c) disposing a lubricant between said working surface and said counter-surface;   (d) providing at least one mechanism, associated with at least one of the working surface and said second surface, for applying a relative motion between said surfaces, and for exerting a load on said surfaces, said surfaces, said lubricant, and said at least one mechanism forming the tribological system;   (e) exerting said load between said working surface and said counter-surface, and   (f) applying a relative motion between said working surface and said counter-surface,   
     wherein said inorganic particles have a population density of at least 10,000 particles per square millimeter.