Plastic deformation under tribological load is always connected a certain direction of plasticity in which the crystal deforms. This study presents an in-depth analysis of frictional experiments conducted on single-crystal copper specimens against sapphire spheres, highlighting the anisotropic nature of copper's microstructural response. The tests focused on evaluating how different crystallographic orientations influence wear mechanisms and frictional behavior.

Our experiments employed a controlled tribological setup to systematically slid sapphire spheres against copper surfaces aligned along various crystallographic directions. The results demonstrated a significant variance in the microstructural evolution across different orientations. Notably, certain crystal planes exhibited enhanced symmetrical characteristics, which correlated with distinct wear patterns and different deformation behaviours.

Through electron microscopy and surface profilometry, we observed that the tribological performance of copper is heavily influenced by crystal rotation and grain refinement during sliding. The wear tracks revealed that crystallographic planes with higher symmetry not only showed less material deformation but also facilitated a more uniform distribution of the tribological stress.

This orientation-dependent behavior underscores the need for a crystallographic perspective in designing wear-resistant materials. Our findings suggest that strategic orientation of crystalline structures can optimize the tribological properties of metals, potentially leading to the development of materials with tailored anisotropic resistance to wear for various industrial applications.