Pin-on-Disk Testing Methods for Titanium-Based Materials

TOPICAL COLLECTIONS

Guest Editors

Mahlatse Mphahlele

Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, Cape Peninsula of University of Technology

Dr. Mahlatse Mphahlele is a lecturer in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). Before joining CPUT, she was a lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Durban University of Technology (DUT) from 2020 to 2024. In 2019, she served as an assistant lecturer in the Department of Metallurgical Engineering at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), where she also worked as a laboratory specialist on nanoindentation and tribology systems in the Centre for Nanoengineering and Advanced Materials. She obtained a master’s degree in chemical engineering (cum laude) in 2018 and a PhD in metallurgical engineering in 2024, both from UJ. During her PhD studies, she developed an intermetallic titanium-based alloy for wear applications. Her work involved enhancing the alloy’s microstructural, mechanical, thermal, and tribological properties. Currently, her work is focused on material development, with a particular interest in the processing of titanium-based alloys and composites and the characterization of their microstructures and wear properties.

Oladeji Ige

Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University

Dr. Oladeji Ige is a faculty member in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in metallurgical and materials engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University in 1995. He then earned a master’s degree in industrial engineering from the University of Ibadan in 2003 and a second master’s in materials engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University in 2007. He completed his PhD at the same university in 2013.Dr. Ige began his academic career as an assistant lecturer in glass and ceramics technology at the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti. His research primarily focuses on the behavior of materials, particularly tribocorrosion phenomena, to advance materials processing techniques. Key areas include materials development, characterization, and powder metallurgy, with emphasis on structural integrity applications in mineral processing and hydrocarbon extraction industries.

Samuel Ranti Oke

Department of Metallurgical & Materials Engineering, Federal University of Technology Akure

Dr. Samuel Ranti Oke holds a PhD in metallurgical engineering from the University of Johannesburg, and prior degrees in mechanical metallurgy and materials engineering from the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Nigeria. Dr. Oke’s research focuses on advanced materials processing, phase stability, and corrosion-resistant alloys, particularly high-entropy alloys (HEAs), powder metallurgy, and spark plasma sintering. He integrates thermodynamic modeling (CALPHAD) with microstructural and electrochemical characterization to develop materials for biomedical and high-temperature applications. Dr. Oke has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, presented at international conferences, and serves as a reviewer for multiple materials science publications. He is passionate about research-driven teaching, materials innovation, and scientific collaboration across Africa and beyond.

Collection Overview

Pin-on-disk testing is a widely accepted and standardized method for evaluating the friction and wear characteristics of materials under controlled conditions. Titanium alloys and composites are particularly valued in aerospace, biomedical, automotive, and chemical industries due to their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. However, their applications are limited by poor tribological performance, especially under dry sliding conditions. Consequently, significant research efforts are focused on enhancing the tribological properties of these materials.

The pin-on-disk testing method provides a quantitative means to assess and compare the wear resistance and frictional behavior of titanium-based materials across varying operational conditions. Several critical parameters, such as surface topography, contact geometry, environmental conditions, and the choice of counterface, play a vital role in determining the coefficients of friction and wear rates for these materials. It is important to note that systematic variations in the experimental setup can lead to significant differences—sometimes by an order of magnitude—in the tribological response observed.

This collection documents best practices, identifies critical parameters, and highlights emerging test methodologies such as high-temperature testing and nano/micro-scale tribometry to reduce discrepancies. The goal is to demonstrate established procedures for assessing the tribological properties of titanium-based materials using pin-on-disk testing. Further, it seeks to provide a comprehensive resource for existing methods and promote comparability and reproducibility of tribological data across research groups.