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Comparative study of microstructure and tribological behavior of TiC/a‐C:H and a‐C:H coatings in a sand‐dust environment
Author(s) -
Qi Jianwei,
Wang Liping,
Yan Fengyuan,
Xue Qunji
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/sia.3660
Subject(s) - materials science , microstructure , tribometer , tribology , nanocrystalline material , nanocomposite , high resolution transmission electron microscopy , sputter deposition , amorphous carbon , composite material , carbon fibers , raman spectroscopy , abrasive , metallurgy , amorphous solid , transmission electron microscopy , sputtering , composite number , thin film , nanotechnology , chemistry , physics , optics , organic chemistry
TiC/a‐C:H and a‐C:H nanocomposite coatings were prepared on AISI 440C steel substrates using magnetron sputtering process. A comparative study was made on their composition and microstructure by Raman spectroscopy and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The tribological properties of two types of carbon‐based coatings were investigated by pin‐on‐disc tribometer under the sand‐dust conditions concerning the influence of applied load, amount of sand and sand particle sizes. The results show that these carbon‐based coatings exhibited high tribological performance with low friction coefficient and wear rate under the sand‐dust environments. However, the TiC/a‐C:H coatings exhibit relatively higher fluctuant friction coefficient as well as higher wear rate in comparison with the a‐C:H coatings under sand‐dust environments. The formation of nanocrystalline hard TiC phase distributed in amorphous carbon matrix decreased the residual stress but significantly increased the hardness and Young's modulus of TiC/a‐C:H coatings, and consequently caused a relatively higher abrasive and fatigue wear loss under the sand‐dust conditions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.