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Tribological Behavior of Wire Arc Additively Manufactured 2219 Aluminum Alloy in Vacuum

This study explores the tribological behavior of wire arc additively manufactured 2219 aluminum alloy under high vacuum and ambient air. It reveals distinct friction and wear responses across varying loads, with adhesive wear and stable transfer layers prevailing in vacuum, and oxidative?fatigue wear dominating in air. Key implications for deep space component reliability are discussed.Wire arc additively manufacturing (WAAM) technology holds great promise for deep space exploration, yet the friction and wear behavior of additive components under space conditions remains insufficiently studied. This study systematically investigates the friction and wear performance of WAAM 2219 aluminum alloy in high vacuum (3?×?10?3?Pa) and ambient air, under normal loads ranging from 2.5 to 30?N. At a low load of 2.5?N, the coefficient of friction (COF) is slightly higher in vacuum than in air. As the load increases to 10?N, the COF in vacuum decreases by 9.2% compared to ambient air, converging to similar values at higher loads. Wear loss and wear rate in vacuum remain significantly lower; at low load, wear loss is only 11.1% of that in air. Oxidative and fatigue wear dominate in ambient air, where oxide layer fracture accelerates material removal. In vacuum, adhesive wear prevails, accompanied by a continuous transfer layer and elongated, curled wear debris. These findings highlight distinct wear mechanisms across environments and provide essential insights into the tribological reliability of WAAM components for deep space missions.

» Author: Bin Shao, Qi Xiao, Heng Su, Jiabin Liu, Yingying Zong

» Publication Date: 10/06/2025

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