The tribological performance of TiN, WC/C and DLC coatings measured by the four-ball test

Abstract An innovative approach to improving the wear resistance and load-carrying capacity of surfaces is by development of novel systems featuring coating treatment. Evaluation of the tribological performance of three physical vapor deposition (PVD) coatings, namely, TiN, WC/C, and DLC (diamond-like carbon), is necessary to determine their suitability as coatings for high-speed and heavy-duty power-transmitting gears. The uncoated and coated steel balls were subjected to four-ball tests under lubricated conditions. An optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope were used to observe wear scars, and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis was performed to determine the chemical compositions of the materials; these methods were also used to analyze the wear mechanisms. The wear performance of the three coatings was compared, and a four-ball method extreme pressure test was performed to determine the last nonseizure load of each tribo-pair. The WC/C and DLC coatings showed excellent tribological performance under high contact pressures and thermal loads, and the benefits of these coatings increased with decreasing performance of the lubricating medium. Therefore, WC/C and DLC coatings are suitable for application in high-speed and heavy-duty gears. Oxidation wear and peeling, fatigue pitting, and adhesive transfer are the main coating failure modes of the TiN, WC/C, and DLC coatings, respectively.