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Experimental Investigation of the Tribological Performance and Statistical Analysis of WC-Co-10%TiC Cermet
Authors:
Riad Harouz1
,Djamel Zelmatı2,3
1Electromechanical and Operational Safety Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, Mohamed Chérif Messaadia University, Souk-ahras, Algeria
2Research Center in Industrial Technologies (CRTI), P.O. Box 64, Cheraga, Algiers, 16014, Algeria
3LRTAPM, Research Laboratory of Advanced Technology in Mechanical Production, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Science, Badji Mokhtar – Annaba University, BP 12, 23000, Annaba, Algeria
Received: 3 October 2025
Revised: 14 January 2026
Accepted: 12 February 2026
Published: 31 March 2026
Abstract:
This study investigates the tribological performance of a WC–Co cermet reinforced with 10% TiC under severe tribological conditions. Disc tribometer tests (cermet) against an Al₂O₃ ball were conducted at 650°C, 0.5 m/s sliding speed, 20 N load, and a sliding distance of 5000 m. Besides, a statistical analysis of the friction coefficient. The results reveal a stable coefficient of friction of µ=0.43, indicating excellent thermal and tribological stability. The analysis demonstrates that the friction coefficient follows a logistic distribution with lower dispersion and weaker parameter correlation compared to the normal distribution. SEM/EDS analyses show the formation of a dense, continuous tungsten-rich oxidized tribofilm, enhancing wear resistance and surface protection, and increasing cermet durability.
Keywords:
Cermet WC-Co-10%TiC, Pin- on-disc, Friction, wear rate, Microstructural analysis, Statistical analysis
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© 2026 by the authors. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Volume 11
Number 1
March 2026
Last Edition
Volume 11
Number 1
March 2026
How to Cite
R. Harouz, D. Zelmatı, Experimental Investigation of the Tribological Performance and Statistical Analysis of WC-Co-10%TiC Cermet. Applied Engineering Letters, 11(1), 2026: 22-34.
https://doi.org/10.46793/aeletters.2026.11.1.3