Tribological properties of DLC films against different steels

We studied the effect of mating materials on the tribological properties of DLC film using mating materials of martensite stainless steels (hardened and annealed AISI440C), austenite stainless steel (AISI304), and bearing steels (hardened and annealed AISI52100). The reciprocating sliding tests were performed with ball-on-plate friction tester in dry air. Analyses of friction surface of specimens were carried out using optical microscopy and micro-laser Raman spectroscopy. With the exception of the annealed AISI52100 ball, the friction coefficient of DLC film decreased with increasing normal load. The friction coefficient for the annealed AISI52100 ball showed a high friction coefficient under wide normal load conditions. Analysis using micro-laser Raman spectroscopy showed that the difference between annealed AISI52100 and others materials appears mainly due to structural changes in the film. Tribological properties of DLC film may thus be affected by a property change in mating materials rather than by mating ball hardness. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.