Aromatic phosphate esters such as triphenyl phosphate, tricresyl phosphate (TCP), and
tri(tert-butylphenyl) phosphate, have been degraded in the presence of pure iron or metal
alloys such as M-50 or 52100 steel. Among these volatile degradation products are those
generated from the addition of an aromatic ring to the phosphate ester. Other products,
which have been identified, include substituted biphenyls and diphenyl ethers derived from
the decomposition of the above-mentioned addition product. Still other products are fused
ring aromatic compounds such as anthracene, which arise from secondary reactions of the
initial decomposition reactions. The decomposition reactions leave a nonvolatile phosphate
film on the surface of the metal. Characterization of the film with Auger spectroscopy suggests
iron phosphate as the product. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows the presence of a
bound organic layer at the surface. A mechanism that explains many of the decomposition
products and the formation of a bound glassy iron phosphate film is proposed.
This is the third part of a three-part series that investigates the rolling contact fatigue initiation and spall propagation characteristics of three bearing materials, namely, AISI 52100, VIM-VAR M50, and VIM-VAR M50 NiL steels. Though there is substantial prior work published on the rolling contact fatigue initiation of these materials, little is known about their spall propagation characteristics after spall initiation. In Part III, 208-size, 40-mm-bore bearings are examined for changes in appearance of the microstructure as well as residual stress as a function of depth in the circumferential direction. The correlations between the experimental results from Part I and computer modeling in Part II are made.
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