Wear Resistance and Interlocking Properties of AISI 5200 Steel Ball Bearings Coated by Nanocomposites

The performance of ball bearings is strongly influenced by the lubrication system. In this research, the development of a lubrication system was performed by the formation of an interlocking system through a composite coating, i.e. Zn3(PO4)2 / MoS2 / MWCNT / nanographite / Na2SiO3 prepared by chemical immersion. The coating was applied through the one-mixing-layer and multi-layer techniques. The results showed that the one-mixing-layer technique has the ability to form an homogeneous thin layer with a surface roughness index that varies between 1.00 µm and 1.35 µm, whereas the thickness of the composite layers was found to be in the range from 5 µm to 6 µm. The multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) technique increased the interlocking capabilities of the coating and the solid lubricant. The one-mixing-layer technique indicated better results than that of multi-layer coated balls in terms of distribution and uniformity of elements on the coating surface, good interlocking between the composite compounds, and the thickness of the layer formed. The performance of nanocomposite coatings on the friction of the steel balls also showed that the ball bearings with a one-mixing-layer composite coating have a higher wear resistance than that of both the uncoated and the multi-layer coated ball bearings.

Ball bearings, Carbon nanotubes, Interlocking, Lubricant, Nanocomposite

Barbour, P.S.M., Stone, M.H., Fisher, J., 1999. A Study of the Wear Resistance of Three Types of Clinically Applied UHMWPE for Total Replacement Hip Prostheses. Biomaterials, Volume 20, pp. 2101–2106

Cai, H., Yan, F., Xue, Y.Q., 2004. Investigation of Tribological Properties of Polyimide/Carbon Nanotube Nanocomposites. Materials Science and Engineering A, Volume 364, pp. 94–100

Chin, C.-J.M., Shih, M.-W., Tsai, H.-J., 2010. Adsorption of Nonpolar Benzene Derivatives on Single-walled Carbon Nanotubes. Applied Surface Science, Volume 256, pp. 6035–6039

Gao, W., Liu, Z., Li, Z., 2001. Nano- and Microcrystal Coatings and Their High-temperature Applications. Advanced Materials, Volume 13, pp. 1001–1004

Jiang, Z.X., Huang, Y. D., Liu, L., Long, J., 2007. Effect of Roughness on Interfacial Performances of Silica Glass and Non-polar Polyarylacetylene Resin Composites. Applied Surface Science, Volume 253, pp. 9357–9364

Joselevich, E., 2004. Electronic Structure and Chemical Reactivity of Carbon Nanotubes: A Chemist's View. ChemPhysChem, Volume 5, pp. 619–624

Keshri, A.K., Lahiri, D., Agarwal, A., 2011. Carbon Nanotubes Improve the Adhesion Strength of Ceramic Splat to the Steel Substrate. Carbon, Volume 49, pp. 4340–4347

Lu, C., Su, F., 2007. Adsorption of Natural Organic Matter by Carbon Nanotubes. Separation and Purification Technology, Volume 58, pp.113–121

Ludema, K.C., 1996. Friction, Wear, Lubrication: A Textbook in Tribology, CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp. 69–110

Mowry, M., 2011. The True Cost of Bearing Lubrication, Igus, June, pp. 1–8

Phuong, N.V., Moon, S., Chang, D., Lee, K.H., 2013. Effect of Microstructure on the Zinc Phosphate Conversion Coatings on Magnesium Alloy AZ91. Applied Surface Science, Volume 264, pp. 70–78

Radu, C., 2010. The Most Common Causes of Bearing Failure and the Importance of Bearing Lubrication. RKB Technical Review, February, pp. 1–7

Sadeghi, F., 2010. Elastohydrodynamics Lubrication, in Rahnejat, H. (Ed); Tribology and Dynamics of Engine and Powertrain, Fundamental, Applications, and Future Trends. Woodhead Pub., Philadelphia, pp. 171–221

Star, A., Liu, Y., Grant, K., Ridvan, L., Stoddart, J.F., Steuerman, D.W., Diehl, M.R., Boukai, A., Heath, J.R., 2003. Noncovalent Side-wall Functionalization of Single-walled Carbon Nanotubes. Macromolecules, Volume 36, pp. 553–560

Sun, Y., Wilson, S.R., Schuster, D.I., 2001. High Dissolution and Strong Light Emission of Carbon Nanotubes in Aromatic Amine Solvents. Journal of the American Chemical Society, Volume 123, pp. 5348–5349

Winer, W.O., 1967. Molybdenum Disulfide as a Lubricant: A Review of the Fundamental Knowledge. Wear, Volume 10, pp. 422–452

Zhang, T.F., Deng, Q.Y., Liu, B., Wu, B.J., Jing, F.J., Leng, Y.X., Huang, N., 2015. Wear and Corrosion Properties of Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) Coating on Stainless Steel, CoCrMo and Ti6Al4V Substrates. Surface & Coatings Technology, Volume 274, pp. 12–19

Zoo, Y.-S., An, J.-W., Lim, D.-P., Lim, D.-S., 2004. Effect of Carbon Nanotube Addition on Tribological Behavior of UHMWPE. Tribology Letter, Volume 16, pp. 305–309