Evaluation of Tribotechnical Properties of the Coating Obtained by Electric Spark Hardening

Abstract

When applying coatings using various methods on the surfaces of moving parts that work in joints, it is important to make sure that the coatings are strong and wear-resistant in order to return them to their original resource. All existing hardening technologies and materials used to perform coatings have their own characteristics, therefore, the quality of the resulting coatings can be judged only after specific tests. (Research purpose) The research purpose is in evaluating the properties of the coating obtained by the method of electric spark hardening, and its ability to resist friction and mechanical wear. (Materials and methods) Authors conducted tests on the basis of the "Nano-Center" center for collective use. A coating was applied on the BIG-4M unit with a VK-8 hard alloy electrode, tribological properties were evaluated on a CSM Instruments TRB-S-DE-0000 tribometer, the width of the friction track was measured after the test using an inverted OLYMPUS gx51 optical microscope, and samples were weighed before and after the test on a VLR-200 analytical balance. Conducted research in accordance with GOST 23.224-86 and RD 50-662-88 guidelines. (Results and discussion) The article presents performed tests on the run-in and wear resistance of the coating. The samples were worked on with a step-by-step increase in the load. During the tests, the friction force was drawed on the diagram. Authors compared the results with the reference sample, an uncoated surface. (Conclusions) The resulting coating has better run-in and wear resistance compared to the standard, and the increase in wear resistance in dry friction conditions is very significant.