Friction and wear behavior of electroless Ni-based CNT composite coatings

Ni-based carbon nanotube (CNT) composite coatings with different volume fraction (from 5 to 12 vol.%) of CNTs were deposited on medium carbon steel substrates by electroless plating. The friction and wear behavior of the composite coatings were investigated using a pin-on-disk wear tester under unlubricated condition. Friction and wear tests were conducted at a sliding speed of 0.0623 m s −1 and at an applied load of 20 N. The experimental results indicated that the friction coefficient of the composite coatings decreased with increasing the volume fraction of CNTs due to self-lubrication and unique topological structure of CNTs. Within the range of volume fraction of CNTs from 0 to 11.2%, the wear rate of the composite coatings showed a steadily decreasing trend with increasing volume fraction of CNTs. Because of the conglomeration of CNTs in the matrix, however, the wear rate of the composite coatings increased with further increasing the volume fraction of CNTs. © 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

[1]  D. S. Misra,et al.  Surface engineering of metal–diamond composite coatings on steel substrates using chemical vapour deposition and electroplating routes , 1999 .

[2]  Otto Zhou,et al.  Alignment of carbon nanotubes in a polymer matrix by mechanical stretching , 1998 .

[3]  T. Ebbesen,et al.  Exceptionally high Young's modulus observed for individual carbon nanotubes , 1996, Nature.

[4]  Xiaobin Zhang,et al.  An investigation of the sliding wear behavior of Cu-matrix composite reinforced by carbon nanotubes , 2001 .

[5]  Charles M. Lieber,et al.  Nanobeam Mechanics: Elasticity, Strength, and Toughness of Nanorods and Nanotubes , 1997 .

[6]  Stefano Martelli,et al.  Wear corrosion properties of nano-structured SiC–nickel composite coatings obtained by electroplating , 2001 .

[7]  Linda S. Schadler,et al.  LOAD TRANSFER IN CARBON NANOTUBE EPOXY COMPOSITES , 1998 .

[8]  E. C. Kedward,et al.  The development of electrodeposited composites for use as wear control coatings on aero engines , 1974 .

[9]  A. Marder,et al.  The effect of second phase volume fraction on the erosion resistance of metal-matrix composites , 2000 .

[10]  S. Iijima.  Helical microtubules of graphitic carbon , 1991, Nature.

[11]  P. Ko,et al.  Wear characteristics of electrolytic hard chrome and thermal sprayed WC–10 Co–4 Cr coatings sliding against Al–Ni–bronze in air at 21 °C and at −40 °C , 2002 .

[12]  R. Superfine,et al.  Bending and buckling of carbon nanotubes under large strain , 1997, Nature.

[13]  X. B. Zhang,et al.  Tribological properties of carbon-nanotube-reinforced copper composites , 2001 .

[14]  M. Dresselhaus.  Carbon nanotubes , 1995 .