Microstructural Characterization of Wear Particles Formed During Tribological Stressing of TiC and Ti(C,N) Coatings

An attempt was undertaken to obtain a better understanding of the tribological properties of two wear-resistant coatings on tool steel by structural and microchemical analysis of wear particles using a transmission electron microscope. Coatings were deposited by physical vapor deposition and plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition techniques and tribological properties were derived from reciprocating sliding tests of the coatings against alumina balls. Three types of wear particles were identified by electron diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy: nanocrystalline rutile (TiO₂), nanocrystalline graphite and microcrystalline graphite. Low coefficients of friction, of the order of 0.2, were attributed to the formation of solid lubricant films of sub-stoichiometric TiO_2-x Magnéli phases and/or graphite.