Tribological behavior of textured polycrystalline diamond compact for thrust bearings using the surface morphology of dung beetles as an inspiration.

To improve the lubrication and friction characteristics of diamond thrust bearings and extend their service life, this study took inspiration from the anti-adhesion and wear-resistant properties of a dung beetle body surfaces and used laser processing to create dimples on the surface of a polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC). The spacing, diameter, and depth of the dimples were designed and optimized using an orthogonal experimental method. The wear mechanism of the textured PDC was analyzed using various microscopic characterization methods. The results showed that the bio-inspired dimple-textured PDC exhibited better tribological behavior and was an effective way to enhance the lifetime and reliability of diamond thrust bearings. • Verified that a laser processing method for PDC inspired by dung beetle surface can effectively improve tribological behaviors. • Determined the optimal texture morphology parameters for tribological performance. • Summarized the wear mechanism of textured dung beetle-inspired PDC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]