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A special issue of Coatings (ISSN 2079-6412).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2018) | Viewed by 60110

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Prof. Dr. Braham Prakash

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Guest Editor

Division of Machine Elements, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå SE-971 87, Sweden
Interests: high temperature tribology; tribology of materials and lubricants; solid lubricants/self-lubricating coatings; boundary lubrication; tribology of machine components (bearings, gears, and seals); analysis and solution of wear related problems; tribotesting
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Prof. Dr. Jens Hardell

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Guest Editor

Division of Machine Elements, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Sweden
Interests: high temperature tribology; friction and wear in dry contacts; tribomaterials; surface engineering for friction and wear control
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As you know, tribological coatings are increasingly used to control (mostly to minimize) friction, wear, and surface damage to moving machine components in various applications. The use of coatings, in addition to improving efficiency and durability of tribological systems, also enables to conserve strategic materials and minimize or eliminate the use of hazardous materials. This Special Issue focuses on the tribological coatings. The topics of interest for this this Special Issue, in particular, include (but are not restricted to):

Novel (lubricious) coatings to control and minimize friction
Coatings for wear control in general
Tribological coatings for extreme operating conditions, e.g., for high/low temperatures, aggressive environments, etc.
Friction and wear phenomena in tribological coatings
Characterization of nano, micro, and macro friction and wear characterization of coatings under various operating conditions
Any other aspects of tribological coatings

Prof. Dr. Braham Prakash
Dr. Jens Hardell
Guest Editors

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Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Coatings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 3898 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Microstructural and Wear Resistance Study of Stainless Steel-Ag Coatings Produced through Magnetron Sputtering

by Claudia L. España P., Abel A. C. Recco and Jhon J. Olaya

Coatings 2018, 8(11), 381; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings8110381 - 26 Oct 2018

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3420

Abstract

This paper presents a study of the tribological properties of stainless steel coatings with varying Ag contents, deposited via magnetron sputtering. The growth of the coatings was done in Ar and Ar + N₂ atmospheres in order to change the crystalline phase in the coating. The analysis of the chemical composition was performed using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and the structural analysis was performed via X-ray diffraction (XRD). The adhesive wear resistance and the friction coefficient were evaluated using the ball-on-disk test with a ball of alumina. The coatings’ adhesion was measured with a scratch tester and the mechanical properties were evaluated with a nanoindenter. The morphology of the films and the wear track were characterized via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). By means of XRD, phases corresponding to the body-centred cubic (BCC) structure were found for the coatings deposited in an inert atmosphere and face-centred cubic (FCC) for those deposited in a reactive atmosphere. A more compact morphology was observed in coatings with a higher silver content. The values of the hardness increased with an increase in the silver content and the presence of nitrogen in the coatings. In the wear traces, mainly mechanisms of oxidative and adhesive wear and plastic deformation were found. The coefficient of friction decreased with an increase of silver in the coatings, whereas the wear rate decreased. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coatings Tribology)

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14 pages, 6345 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Composition versus Wear Behaviour of Air Plasma Sprayed NiCr–TiB₂–ZrB₂ Composite Coating

by Ning Zhang, Nannan Zhang, Sheng Guan, Shumei Li, Guangwei Zhang and Yue Zhang

Coatings 2018, 8(8), 273; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings8080273 - 6 Aug 2018

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3688

Abstract

The NiCr–TiB₂–ZrB₂ composite coating was deposited on the surface of blades made of steel (SUS304) using high-energy ball milling technology and air plasma spraying technology, which aimed to relieve the wear of the blades during operation. The influence of titanium diboride (TiB₂) and zirconium diboride (ZrB₂) on the microstructure and wear resistance of the coatings was investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Vickers microhardness tester, and a wear tester. The results showed that the TiB₂ and ZrB₂ particles were unevenly distributed in the coatings and significantly increased the hardness and anti-wear, which contributed to their ultra-high hardness and extremely strong ability to resist deformation. The performance of the coatings was improved with the increase of the number of ceramic phases, while the hardness and wear resistance of the coating could reach their highest value when the TiB₂ and ZrB₂ respectively took up 15 wt.% of the total mass of the powder. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coatings Tribology)

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21 pages, 8415 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Potential of Tribological Application of DLC/MoS₂ Coated Sealing Materials

by Chao Wang, Andreas Hausberger, Philipp Nothdurft, Jürgen Markus Lackner and Thomas Schwarz

Coatings 2018, 8(8), 267; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings8080267 - 31 Jul 2018

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5388

Abstract

The potential of the combination of hard and soft coating on elastomers was investigated. Diamond-like carbon (DLC), molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) and composite coatings of these two materials with various DLC/MoS₂ ratios were deposited on four elastomeric substrates by means of the magnetron sputtering method. The microstructures, surface energy of the coatings, and substrates were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and contact angle, respectively. The chemical composition was identified by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). A ball on disc configuration was used as the model test, which was performed under dry and lubricated conditions. Based on the results from the model tests, the best coating was selected for each substrate and subsequently verified in component-like test. There is not one coating that is optimal for all substrates. Many factors can affect the coatings performance. The topography and the rigidity of the substrates are the key factors. However, the adhesion between coatings and substrates, and also the coating processes, can impact significantly on the coatings performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coatings Tribology)

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12 pages, 6818 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Raman Spectroscopy for Reliability Assessment of Multilayered AlCrN Coating in Tribo-Corrosive Conditions

by Janis Baronins, Maksim Antonov, Sergei Bereznev, Taavi Raadik and Irina Hussainova

Coatings 2018, 8(7), 229; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings8070229 - 26 Jun 2018

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 5194

Abstract

In this study, a multilayered AlCrN coating has been employed as a protective layer for steel used in tribo-corrosive conditions. The coating was deposited by a lateral rotating cathode arc PVD technology on a AISI 316L stainless steel substrate. A ratio of Al/(Al + Cr) was varied from 0.5 up to 0.6 in the AlCrN layer located above Cr adhesion and gradient CrN interlayers. A Raman spectroscopy and potentiodynamic polarization scan were used to determine the resistance in tribo-corrosive (3.5 wt % NaCl) conditions. Correlation between sliding contact surface chemistry and measured tribological properties of material was supported with static corrosion experiments. The corrosion mechanisms responsible for surface degradation are reported. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coatings Tribology)

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15 pages, 4877 KiB

Open AccessArticle

On the Importance of Combined Scratch/Acoustic Emission Test Evaluation: SiC and SiCN Thin Films Case Study

by Jan Tomastik, Radim Ctvrtlik, Martin Drab and Jan Manak

Coatings 2018, 8(5), 196; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings8050196 - 22 May 2018

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 6105

Abstract

The scratch test, as probably the most widespread technique for assessment of the adhesive/cohesive properties of a film–substrate system, fully depends on reliable evaluation based on assessment of critical loads for systems’ failures. Traditionally used evaluation methods (depth change record and visual observation) may sometimes give misleading conclusions about the failure dynamics, especially in the case of opaque films. Therefore, there is a need for another independent evaluation technique with the potential to complete the existing approaches. The nondestructive method of acoustic emission, which detects the elastic waves emitted during film cracking and delamination, can be regarded as a convenient candidate for such a role even at nano/micro scale. The strength of the combination of microscopic observation of the residual groove and depth change record with the acoustic emission detection system proved to be a robust and reliable approach in analyzing adhesion/cohesion properties of thin films. The dynamics of the gradual damage taking place during the nano/micro scratch test revealed by the combined approach is presented for SiC and SiCN thin films. Comparison of critical load values clearly reflects the higher ability of the AE approach in detecting the initial material failure compared to the visual observation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coatings Tribology)

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16 pages, 39636 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Tribological Properties of New Cu-Al/MoS₂ Solid Lubricant Coatings Using Magnetron Sputter Deposition

by Ming Cao, Lan Zhao, Libin Wu and Wenquan Wang

Coatings 2018, 8(4), 134; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings8040134 - 6 Apr 2018

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 6039

Abstract

The increasing demands of environmental protection have led to solid lubricant coatings becoming more and more important. A new type of MoS₂-based coating co-doped with Cu and Al prepared by magnetron sputtering, including Cu/MoS₂ and Cu-Al/MoS₂ coatings, for lubrication applications is reported. To this end, the coatings were annealed in an argon atmosphere furnace. The microstructure and the tribological properties of the coatings prior to and following annealing were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometry, X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and with a multi-functional tester for material surface properties. The results demonstrated that the friction coefficient of the Cu/MoS₂ coating was able to reach as low as 0.07, due to the synergistic lubrication effect of the soft metal Cu with MoS₂. However, the wear resistance of the coating was not satisfied. Although the lowest friction coefficient of the Cu-Al/MoS₂ coatings was 0.083, the wear resistance was enhanced, which was attributed to the improved the toughness of the coatings due to the introduction of aluminum. The XRD results revealed that the γ₂-Cu₉Al₄ phase was formed in the specimen of Cu-Al/MoS₂ coatings. The comprehensive performance of the Cu-Al/MoS₂ coatings after annealing was improved in comparison to substrate heating, since the heat-treatment was beneficial for the strengthening of the solid solution of the coatings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coatings Tribology)

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13 pages, 4412 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microstructure, Microhardness, and Wear Resistance of AlCoCrFeNiTi/Ni60 Coating by Plasma Spraying

by Lihui Tian, Zongkang Feng and Wei Xiong

Coatings 2018, 8(3), 112; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings8030112 - 19 Mar 2018

Cited by 53 | Viewed by 5472

Abstract

In this comparative study, Ni60 was used as a reinforcement and added into an AlCoCrFeNiTi high-entropy alloy (HEA) matrix coating in order to enhance its hardness and wear resistance. An AlCoCrFeNiTi/Ni60 coating was prepared by plasma spraying with mechanically-blended AlCoCrFeNiTi/Ni60 powder. The coating microstructure was observed and analyzed. Bonding strength, microhardness, and wear resistance of the coating were investigated. The results showed that a compact AlCoCrFeNiTi/Ni60 coating with Ni60 splats uniformly distributed in the AlCoCrFeNiTi matrix was deposited. After spraying, matrix body-centered cubic (BCC), face-centered cubic, and ordered BCC phases were detected in the coating. The added large Ni60 particles played an important role in strengthening the coating. Tensile test results showed that bonding strength of this coating was above 60.1 MPa, which is far higher than that of the AlCoCrFeNiTi HEA coating in the previous study. An average microhardness of 676 HV was obtained for the main body of the coating, which is much higher than that of the AlCoCrFeNiTi HEA coating. Solution hardening in γ-Ni and dispersion strengthening of the hard interstitial compounds, such as Cr₇C₃, CrB, Cr₂B, and Cr₂₃C₆ increased the hardness of Ni60, and then the AlCoCrFeNiTi/Ni60 coating. During wear testing at 25 °C, adhesive wear and abrasive wear occurred, while, at 500 °C, abrasive wear took place. Volume wear rates of the coating at 25 °C and 500 °C were 0.55 ± 0.06 × 10⁻⁴ mm³·N⁻¹·m⁻¹ and 0.66 ± 0.02 × 10⁻⁴ mm³·N⁻¹·m⁻¹, respectively. Wear resistance of this coating was better than that of the AlCoCrFeNiTi HEA coating, which can be attributed to addition of the hard Ni60. Therefore, Ni60 is an appropriate reinforcement to further enhance the wear resistance of HEA coating. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coatings Tribology)

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12 pages, 4096 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Cu Content on the Structure, Mechanical, Friction and Wear Properties of VCN–Cu Films

by Fanjing Wu, Lihua Yu, Hongbo Ju, Junhua Xu and Ji Shi

Coatings 2018, 8(3), 95; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings8030095 - 7 Mar 2018

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5167

Abstract

VCN–Cu films with different Cu contents were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering technique. The films were evaluated in terms of their microstructure, elemental composition, mechanical, and tribological properties by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), Raman spectrometry, nano-indentation, field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), Bruker three-dimensional (3D) profiler, and high-temperature ball on disc tribo-meter. The results showed that face-centered cubic (fcc) VCN, hexagonal close-packed (hcp) V₂CN, fcc-Cu, amorphous graphite and CN_x phases co-existed in VCN–Cu films. After doping with 0.6 at.% Cu, the hardness reached a maximum value of ~32 GPa. At room temperature (RT), the friction coefficient and wear rate increased with increasing Cu content. In the temperature range of 100–500 °C, the friction coefficient decreased, but the wear rate increased with the increase of Cu content. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coatings Tribology)

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12 pages, 7962 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhanced Tribological Properties of Polymer Composite Coating Containing Graphene at Room and Elevated Temperatures

by Yanchao Zhang, Dongya Zhang, Xian Wei, Shanjun Zhong and Jianlei Wang

Coatings 2018, 8(3), 91; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings8030091 - 2 Mar 2018

Cited by 43 | Viewed by 7089

Abstract

To improve the tribology properties of the polymer coating under elevated temperature, the epoxy coating was reinforced with nano graphene. The micro-hardness, heat conductivity, and thermo-gravimetric properties of the coating were enhanced as filled graphene. The friction and wear properties of the polymer coating were studied using a pin-on-disc tribo-meter under room and elevated temperatures. The results showed that under room temperature, the friction coefficient and the wear rate of the coating adding 4.0 wt % graphene was 80% and 76% lower than that of the neat epoxy coating, respectively. As the test temperature increased, the friction coefficient of the graphene/polymer coatings decreased at first and then slightly increased. The friction coefficient was at its lowest value under 150 °C and then increased as the temperature rose to 200 °C. By adding 4.0 wt % graphene, the friction coefficient and wear rate of the polymer coating were further reduced, especially at elevated temperatures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coatings Tribology)

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10895 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Friction and Wear Behavior of an Ag–Mo Co-Implanted GH4169 Alloy via Ion-Beam-Assisted Bombardment

by Jiajun Zhu, Meng Xu, Wulin Yang, Deyi Li, Lingping Zhou and Licai Fu

Coatings 2017, 7(11), 191; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings7110191 - 6 Nov 2017

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5513

Abstract

Ag, Mo, and Ag–Mo were respectively implanted into GH4169 alloy substrates without heating via ion-beam-assisted bombardment technology (IBAB). In addition, the wear performance under low sliding speed and applied load were researched at room temperature (RT). A small amount silver molybdate phase could be detected on the surface of the co-implanted GH4169 alloy bombarded by a high-energy ion beam. The average friction coefficients under the steady wear state had almost no change at all. Compared with the un-implanted GH4169 alloys, the wear rate of the GH4169 alloys with co-implantation of Ag and Mo was reduced by 75%. A large amount of the silver molybdate phase could be generated due to the tribo-reaction on the worn surface during sliding. It benefits the formation of continuous oxide layers as lubrication and protected layers, leading to the change in the predominant wear mechanism from abrasion and adhesion wear to oxidation wear. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coatings Tribology)

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7014 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on Microstructure, Mechanical and Tribological Properties of Cr-Ti-B-N Films

by Lihua Yu, Huang Luo, Jianguo Bian, Hongbo Ju and Junhua Xu

Coatings 2017, 7(9), 137; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings7090137 - 3 Sep 2017

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4925

Abstract

In this study, the Cr-Ti-B-N composite thin films with different Ti and B contents in the films were fabricated by a reactive magnetron sputtering system using chromium (Cr) and TiB₂ targets. The microstructure, mechanical properties, and friction properties over broad ranges of temperature were detected by XRD, SEM, TEM, nano-indentation, 3D profilometer, and tribometer. It was found that the Cr-Ti-B-N films exhibited a double face-centered cubic (fcc)-CrN and amorphous-BN structure. As the Ti and B elements were introduced, the hardness and elastic modulus of Cr-Ti-B-N films increased from 21 and 246.5 GPa to a maximum value of approximately 28 and 283.6 GPa for Cr_38.7Ti_3.7B_6.4N_51.2 film, and then decreased slightly with a further increase of Ti and B contents. The hardness enhancement was attributed to the residual compressive stress. The friction and wear resistance of the film was improved obviously by the addition of Cr and B, as compared with the CrN film under 200 °C. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coatings Tribology)

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