Effect of composite surface treatments on wear performance of Al-Si alloy cylinder liner

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to prolong the service life of the Al-Si alloy cylinder and achieve the objective of energy saving and emission reduction by the composite treatments. Design/methodology/approachChemical etching + laser texturing + filled MoS2 composite treatment was applied to the friction surface of aluminum-silicon (Al-Si) alloy cylinder. The friction coefficient and wear loss were measured to characterize the tribology property of cylinders. FindingsThe composite-treated Al-Si alloy cylinder had the lowest friction coefficient and weight loss. The friction coefficient and weight loss of the composite treatment were approximately 27.08% and 54.17% lower than those of the untreated sample, respectively. The laser micro-textures control the release of solid lubricant to the interface of friction pairs slowly, which prolongs the service life of cylinders. Originality/valueThe synergistic effect of the chemical etching + laser texturing + filled MoS2 modified the tribology properties of Al-Si alloy cylinder. The chemical etching raised the silicon particles to bear the load, and laser micro-textures control the release of solid lubricant to improve the lubrication property.