Tribocorrosion behaviour of tin bronze CuSn12 under a sliding motion in NaCl containing environment: Contact to inert vs. reactive counterbody

Tribocorrosion behaviour of tin bronze was examined in NaCl environments using two counterbodies: inert alumina and reactive bearing steel. The results with inert counterbody disclosed growing alloy losses with increasing potential, due to wear-influenced corrosion. Degradation progressed through the development, modification and removal of corrosion products, exposing fresh surface for the environment. With reactive counterbody, galvanic coupling between the two metals played an important role in the behaviour of the tribopair. At the lowest potential, where counterbody corrosion progressed slowly, the metals were in a direct mechanical contact, introducing wear in the ploughing mode in tin bronze. At anodic potentials, counterbody provided cathodic protection to tin bronze, with most material losses occurring in the counterbody by corrosion and wear-influenced corrosion.