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Effect of the GLC Coating Thickness on the Mechanical and Tribological Properties of the CrN/GLC Coatings

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Abstract

The primary objective of this research is to investigate the mechanical and tribological characteristics of thin coatings that consist of graphite-like carbon (GLC) and chromium nitride (CrN). The incorporation of GLC and CrN coatings offers a synergistic effect by leveraging the wear-resistant properties of CrN and the low-friction and lubricating properties of GLC. Unbalanced closed-field magnetron sputtering was employed to deposit CrN/GLC coatings onto SDC90 steel. The microstructure, mechanical, and tribological properties of the coatings were comprehensively studied and compared. From the Raman, the ID/IG of the GLC coatings improved from 1.7 to 2.7 by changing the GLC coating thicknesses from 0.2 to 2.0 μm. The records displayed that changing the GLC coating thickness of the CrN/GLC coating can reduce the surface toughness, adhesion strength, and critical loads (the critical loads of S1 and S2 > 40 N, the critical load of S3 < 30–40 N). On the contrary, by changing the GLC coating thickness, the elasticity modulus (from 144.88 to 169.60 GPa), hardness (from 10.27 to 14.32 GPa), and tribological properties of the coatings were positively affected. Regarding the impact friction and wear behavior, the thicker GLC coatings show excellent properties with a lower wear volume and wear rate. The knowledge acquired about the GLC coatings can be utilized to enhance the impact friction and wear of the cold work die steels.

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Science Fund for Excellent Young Scholars (Oversea), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation Funded Project (Project No. 2021M693415), Jiangsu Provincial Postdoctoral Science Foundation Funded Project (Project No. 2020C340), Jiangsu Provincial Double-Innovation Doctor Program (Project No. 202031063), and China Postdoctoral International Exchange Program (Project No. PC2022061).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, 266000, China

    Hai Lin & Yongjun Shi

  2. School of Mechatronics Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, China

    Hai Lin, Ruirui Dai & Junfeng Yuan

  3. Guangxi Natural Gas Pipeline Co., Ltd., Beihai, 536000, China

    Hai Lin

  4. Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada

    Junfeng Yuan & Marco Alfano

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HL contributed to formal analysis, conceptualization, and writing of the manuscript. RD contributed to investigation, formal analysis, and writing of the original draft. YS contributed to formal analysis. JY contributed to supervision, resources, and funding acquisition. MA contributed to writing, reviewing, & editing of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Junfeng Yuan.

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Lin, H., Dai, R., Shi, Y. et al. Effect of the GLC Coating Thickness on the Mechanical and Tribological Properties of the CrN/GLC Coatings. Tribol Lett 71, 92 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-023-01768-7

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