Characterization of DLC coatings over nitrided stainless steel with and without nitriding pre-treatment using annealing cycles

Abstract

Amorphous hydrogenated diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings were deposited using plasma assisted chemical vapour deposition (PACVD) on precipitation hardening (PH) stainless steel. Plasma nitriding has been used as pre-treatment to enhance adhesion and mechanical properties. Chemical and mechanical properties of DLC coatings are dependent on the hydrogen content and so on the relation between sp3/sp2 bondings. The bondings and the structure of the DLC film change with temperature. In this work, a study of the thermal degradation and the evolution of the mechanical properties of DLC coatings over PH stainless steel have been carried out, including the effect of an additional nitrided layer.Nitrided and non-nitrided steel samples were subjected to the same coated in the same conditions, and they were submitted to the same thermal cycles, heating from room temperature to 600°C in several steps.After each cycle, Raman spectra and surface topography measurements were performed and analyzed. Nanohardness measurements and tribological tests, using a pin-on-disc machine, were carried out to analyze variations in the friction coefficient and the wear resistance.The duplex sample, with nitriding as pre-treatment showed a better thermal stability. For duplex sample, the coating properties, such as adhesion, and friction coefficient were sustained after annealing at higher temperatures; whereas it was not the case for only coated sample.