Tribological properties of coatings obtained by electro-spark alloying C45 steel surfaces

Various coating methods have become an essential way for surface strengthening; therefore new materials and coating technologies are being extensively studied. Bronze, molybdenum, and chromium, as well as a complex coating of T15K6 + bronze, were investigated in present study. The block-on-roll tribometer was employed to measure their tribological properties under boundary lubricating conditions. The results show that the molybdenum coating is the most stable, while the bronze coating has a low coefficient of friction in low-load applications. The observed tribological properties are closely related with mechanical properties. The surface characterisation and mechanical properties are in the line with results obtained by other scientists.