Triboengineering properties of ceramic oxide coatings under boundary friction against steel

The triboengineering properties of ceramic-oxide coatings are studied during boundary friction against steel 45. Ceramic-oxide coatings formed by microplasma oxidation can be used within a wide range of pressures (8–36 MPa) and sliding velocities (0.05–2 m/s) to ensure lower friction coefficient and wear rate of the materials in contact as compared to a steel-steel pair. The improved triboengineering characteristics of tribojoints with ceramic oxide are attributed to the formation of nanostructures (with 40–100 nm elements) and surface smoothing up to R _a = 5.1 nm. The nanostructure and frictional surface morphology of steel are found to be a result of oil I-40A modification by high-dispersed wear products of ceramics in the friction zone playing the role of a nanosize additive to the lubricating material.