Abstract
The thin layer activation (TLA) technique is being used to measure the continuous wear of piston rings and cylinder liners in the nm to μm range. The procedure, effectively using a radioisotope tracer, involves two main steps. Firstly the surface of interest is activated using a charged particle beam and secondly its wear characteristics are tested using a special tribometer set-up. The whole procedure will be discussed along with technical factors to be considered (including the different nuclear reactions used to study different elements) and its limitations. Other known and potential applications will also be described.