Au/Cr Sputter Coating for the Protection of Alumina During Sliding at High Temperatures

A sputter-deposited bilayer coating of gold and chromium was investigated as a potential solid lubricant to protect alumina substrates in applications involving sliding at high temperatures. The lubricant was tested in a pin-on-disk tribometer with coated alumina disks sliding against uncoated alumina pins. Three test parameters—temperature, load and sliding velocity—were varied over a wide range in order to determine the performance envelope of the Au/Cr solid lubricant film. The tribo-tests were run in air at temperatures of 25° to 1000°C, under loads of 4.9 to 49.0 N and at sliding velocities from 1 to 15 ms^?1. Posttest analyses included surface profilometry, wear factor determination and SEM/EDS examination of worn surfaces.

Compared to unlubricaled Al₂O₃ sliding, the use of the Au/Cr film reduced friction by 30 to 50 percent and wear by one to two orders of magnitude. Increases in test temperature resulted in lower friction and the Au/Cr film continued to provide low friction, about 0.3, even at 1000°C. Pin wear factors and friction were largely unaffected by increasing loads up to 29.4 N. Sliding velocity had essentially no effect on friction, however, increased velocity reduced coaling life (total sliding distance). Based upon these research results, the Au/Cr film is a promising lubricant for moderately loaded, low-speed applications operating at temperatures as high as 1000°C.