Abstract
Texture surface containing both micro-pits and a thin carbon coating was produced using laser surface texturing and magnetic-control vacuum sputtering. Tribological properties of the laser-textured surface coated with thin carbon were experimentally investigated at low-temperature (8–10 °C) under starved and lubricated conditions with a ring-on-ring test rig. The results indicated that the laser-textured surface combined with carbon coating (textured + coating) exhibited low wear intensity and friction coefficient under lubricated conditions, while moderate wear was observed under starved lubrication conditions as compared with the smooth, textured, and carbon-coated surfaces. The wear mechanisms of the lubricated, textured, coated surface under three working conditions (10 N and 1.25 m/s, 16 N and 0.25 m/s, and 50 N and 0.05 m/s) revealed plowing effect, corrosion, and adhesive wear, while oxidative and adhesive wears were observed under starved lubrication. Finally, the textured, coated surface was freely adaptable to different working conditions and exhibited additional effects for better tribological applications at low-temperature as compared with the smooth, laser-textured, and carbon-coated surfaces.
Highlights
Inefficient systemic loss of energy in machinery can be minimized by a reduction of friction and wear in mechanical components [1,2]
This study illustrated the tribological performances of a laser-textured surface combined with carbon coatings compared with three typical surfaces
The advantages of the textured surface with coating were demonstrated by surface characterization and tribological tests on a ring-on-ring rig
Summary
Inefficient systemic loss of energy in machinery can be minimized by a reduction of friction and wear in mechanical components [1,2]. Tribology design and surface engineering technologies are sought after for improving the effectiveness and reducing friction losses in mechanical systems. With some intricate microstructures (pits, craters, and grooves), have gained widespread acceptance in tribology because of their ability to achieve the micro-hydrodynamic bearing effect, acting as reservoirs for the continuous supply of Coatings 2020, 10, 929; doi:10.3390/coatings10100929 www.mdpi.com/journal/coatings. LST is used for the reduction of friction (or stiction) in magnetic storage devices [23] and for the minimization of wear and mechanical losses for micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) devices [24]
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