Seeing wear as it happens: revealing track evolution in gradient-engineered Hadfield steel coatings via interval profilometry

Thursday, June 4, 2026: 11:00 AM
Coral Ballroom B (Hilton West Palm Beach)
Dr. Pawel Sokolowski , Wroc?aw University of Science and Technology, Wroc?aw, Poland
Dr. Aleksandra Malachowska , Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wrocław, Poland
Mr. Adam Sajbura , Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wrocław, Poland
Prof. Marcin Winnicki , Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wrocław, Poland
Dr. Marcin Korzeniowski , Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wrocław, Poland
Understanding the evolution of wear tracks is increasingly critical as modern materials and coatings are designed with complex architectures and tailored surface functionalities. In aviation and aerospace, where tribological reliability directly impacts safety and system longevity, relying solely on end-of-test wear metrics can obscure the important features that develop over a component’s lifetime. Interval profilometry analysis, performed during wear testing, provides a powerful tool to capture the dynamic progression of wear. By monitoring changes in track depth, width, roughness, and volume loss, it is possible to identify transitions in wear mode, detect early-stage degradation, and correlate these effects with material architecture or surface treatments.

This work demonstrates the application of in-line interval optical profilometry during under ball-on-disc testing under dry conditions. The X120Mn12 high-manganese Hadfield steel–based plasma-sprayed coatings, which are prone to work-hardening, were investigated. Following deposition, the coatings were post-processed by hammering, grinding, and polishing, producing distinct top-surface states and surface-hardening gradients. These treatments generated multiscale gradient structures, making the system particularly suitable for illustrating why tracking wear-track evolution is essential. The coatings were also characterized using Vickers hardness measurements, while the microstructure of both the coatings and wear tracks was examined via SEM/EDS to complement the understanding of their behavior under ball-on-disc conditions.

The results show that evaluating coatings only before and after testing overlooks critical dynamics. Interval profilometry provides a direct window into how engineered surfaces evolve during service, offering insights that are vital for optimizing next-generation aerospace-grade protective coatings.

See more of: Tribology and Wear of Aerospace Materials
See more of: Aeromat Technical Program