Tribological testing of commercial CrN, (Ti,Al)N and CrC/C PVD coatings — Evaluation of galling and wear characteristics against different high strength steels

The increasing use of high strength steels in a variety of mechanical engineering applications has illuminated problems associated with galling in sheet metal forming operations. Galling is a tribological phenomenon associated with transfer of material from the steel sheet to the tool surface during forming resulting in seizure of the tool/steel sheet contact and extensive scratching of the steel sheet surface. As a result, a number of concepts have been developed in order to reduce the tendency of galling in sheet metal forming, including the development of new dry lubricants, new forming tool steel grades and improved surface engineering treatments such as the deposition of low friction CVD- and PVD-coatings. In the present study the potential performance of three commercial PVD coatings, including CrN, (Ti,Al)N and a CrC/C DLC-based coating, in the forming of hot and cold rolled high strength steel as well as electro and hot-dip galvanized high strength steel has been evaluated using pin-on-disc testing under lubricated contact conditions. Post-test examination of the tribosurfaces using FEG-SEM and EDS analyses was performed in order to evaluate the mechanisms controlling the tendency to material transfer and wear. The results show that in contact with the hot and cold rolled steel the material pick-up tendency of the PVD coatings tend to increase in the order CrC/C–CrN–(Ti,Al)N while in contact with the two galvanized steel sheets, the CrC/C and the (Ti,Al)N coating show a significantly lower material pick-up tendency as compared with the CrN coating. Further, the substrate hardness has a strong influence on the wear of the PVD coatings and consequently on the friction characteristics and galling tendency of the coating/substrate composite. Low substrate hardness, resulting in a low load bearing capacity, increases the tendency to cracking and subsequently chipping of the brittle coating.

Research highlights
► The CrC/C coating shows low adhesion tendency to all investigated steel sheet grades.
► The (Ti,Al)N coating shows low adhesion tendency to zinc coated steel.
► Defects on the coating surface will influence the material pick-up tendency.
► The substrate hardness has a strong influence on the wear of PVD coatings.