Friction and wear performance of CrSiBCN coatings sliding against ceramic and metal counterparts in sea water

ABSTRACT

In order to optimize the counterpart material and subsequently improve the tribological properties of CrSiBCN coatings on transmission components in sea water, the friction behaviour of CrSiBCN coatings sliding against two ceramics and two metals was investigated. The overall relative index (RI_o) of friction coefficient and wear rate was used as evaluation criterion. Experimental results showed that CrSiBCN/Al₂O₃ and CrSiBCN/brass tribopairs presented the worse tribological properties than the average level indicated as positive RI_o (1.64 and 0.22). In contrast, CrSiBCN/SiC and CrSiBCN/GCr15 tribopairs presented the better tribological properties than the average level indicated as negative RI_o (−1.45 and −0.39). On this basis, since the lubrication effect of the silica gel generated from the hydration of SiC, CrSiBCN/SiC tribopair exhibited both lower friction coefficient and lower coatings wear rate than the average values. It was indicated that SiC was the suitable counterpart material matching with CrSiBCN coatings in sea water.

KEYWORDS:

• CrSiBCN coatings
• tribological properties
• counterparts
• transmission
• sea water

Acknowledgement

This work has been supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number 51705245 and 51375231); Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (grant number BK20170794) and National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Helicopter Transmission, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (grant number HTL-A-20G06). We would like to acknowledge them for their financial support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant numbers 51705245, 51375231]; Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province [grant number BK20170794]; National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Helicopter Transmission [grant number HTL-A-20G06].