Paraffinöl geschmierte Wälztests wurden an extrem harten Diamantschichten auf hartem SSiC Substrat, unterschiedlichen, harten DLC-Schichten auf 100Cr6 Substraten (HRC60) sowie ausgewählten DLC-Schichten auf ungehärtetem Stahl (HRC 20) durchgeführt. Die Wälztests wurden in einem Zweischeibentribometer vom Typ Amsler bei einer anfänglichen, maximalen Flächenpressung nach Hertz von P0=2,3 GPa ausgeführt. Als Abbruchkriterium für die Tests wurde das Erreichen von n=1.000.000 Überrollungen (Langzeittests n=10.000.000 Überrollungen) oder das Auftreten einer Schädigung mit einer zusammenhängenden Fläche von A>1 mm2 festgelegt. Die Wälztests zeigten, dass das harte SSiC Substrat zwar eine stützende Wirkung auf die Diamantschicht hat, diese aber aufgrund von Rissen im Substrat versagte. Ferner gibt es wenigstens zwei DLC-Schichten, die, aufgebracht auf 100Cr6 Scheiben (HRC60), den Wälztests bis n=10.000.000 Überrollungen ohne nennenswerte Schäden widerstanden. Diese Schichten passten sich auch den Verformungen des weichen, stickstofflegierten Stahls (HRC20) an, ohne das es zu größeren Abplatzungen kam (A>1 mm2).
Costs reduction is one of the major objectives in mechanical applications with a parallel increase of the power output. Another driver represents new environmental standards and their increasing restrictions in the automotive industry leading to the question, if materials based concepts may substitute harmful EP/AW additives in lubricants. This paper presents the slip-rolling resistance of different DLC/THC coatings on steel substrates with a definite slip rate of 10%. Industrial DLC coatings of ta-C and a-C:H types from various manufacturers were deposited on steels SAE 52100 and AMS 5898 to compile the slip-rolling resistance under initial average Hertzian contact pressures between 1.5 GPa and 2 GPa. The tests were carried out on Amsler-type twin disc tribometer under the regime of mixed/boundary lubrication in unadditivated paraffinic oil (ISO VG 46) and a factory fill engine oil. The spherical steel sample was uncoated and the cylindrical coated with DLC. Some coatings achieved 10 million cycles without any damage under a maximal Hertzian contact pressure Pmax well over 2.25 GPa, thus exceeding FZG 12.
The light-weight approach and fuel economy targets in today's automotive engineering require tribosystems, which can withstand higher contact pressures associated with low coefficients of friction. The application of high-performance coatings represents one approach among others. This paper presents some recently developed DLC coatings (a-C:H and ta-C) as well as a novel coating-substrate system (Zr(C,N)) in a benchmark test procedure under slip-rolling conditions in the presence of liquid lubricants. Various coatings with different thickness, interlayer and substrates were evaluated for their slip-rolling resistance in different lubricants at ambient temperature and at 120 °C. Results indicate that some of these coating systems can withstand at least 10 million cycles under initial Hertzian contact pressures of up to Pmax = 3.500 MPa and oil temperatures of at least 120 °C associated with low coefficients of friction under mixed/boundary conditions. Surface of the coatings and the counter bodies were analysed and compared with untreated substrates.
Diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings are perceived as part of a strategy for low frictional tribosystems. Especially the automotive industry anticipates a benefit in applying such coatings in association with the lightweight construction of mechanical parts, for instance in gear and engine components. Therefore, in previous investigations amorphous carbon (a-C) and tetragonal amorphous carbon (ta-C) coatings were inspected. For up to ten million cycles at Hertzian contact pressures P0max of 2.9 GPa it was shown that these coatings are slip-rolling resistant not only at room temperature in the presence of unaddivated paraffin oil, but also up to 120 °C oil temperature. The steel substrates in this investigation were made of the hardened and tempered steels 100Cr6H and Cronidur 30. The aim of the current work is manifold. The Hertzian contact pressures should be increased up to P0max of 4.2 GPa by using new steel metallurgies as substrates for thin film coatings. These steel metallurgies are also assessed, if they can compete as uncoated couples. Two high toughness spring steels and an ultra-high toughness aerospace steel were tested in a twin disc tribometer of the Amsler type as well as in an Optimol 2Disk test rig under mixed/boundary conditions in a factory fill SAE 0W-30 engine oil. Different factors such as influences of the lubrication, surface chemistry and wear behaviour were investigated.