Published on January 2019 | Mechanical Engineering, Tribology, Friction and Wear

Effect of Mesh Structure of Tetrahedral Amorphous Carbon (ta-C) Coating on Friction and Wear Properties under Base-oil Lubrication Condition

This study examined the tribological properties of novel mesh tetrahedral amorphous carbon (Mesh ta-C). Subsequently, comparison was made with conventional ta-C and a-C:H coatings under base-oil lubrication via cylindrical-pin-on-disk tribo-tester. Analysis of wear track was conducted using field-emission-scanning-electron-microscope (FE-SEM), atomic-force-microscopy (AFM), and Raman-spectroscopy. The friction coefficient for Mesh ta-C and conventional ta-C revealed a similar pattern with regard to loads. The Mesh ta-C had excellent wear resistance, where the wear rates at loads of 20 N was five and 20 times lower than conventional a-C:H and ta-C, respectively. High wear resistance of Mesh ta-C characterized by inhibition of brittle micro-fracture propagation, less in abrasive particle created during friction test, and suppressing the effect of graphitization-induced wear on the contact surface.