The Load-Carrying Mechanism of the Oil-Impregnated Carbide-Derived Carbon Coatings

The carbide-derived carbon (CDC) coatings with porous structure were prepared using chlorination on silicon carbide. This paper investigated the effect of impregnation of Poly Alpha Olefin (PAO) on the load-carrying capacity of the CDC coatings in the sliding process. The results show that the friction and wear properties of the oiled CDC (OCDC) coatings were equivalent to that of the CDC coatings under low loads (<5 N). However, the tribological performance of the OCDC coating became worse with increasing loads even under medium loads (~10 N). It had high friction coefficient and large wear volume. It shows that the pores in the CDC coating were filled with PAO oil, and the pore walls were destroyed during the friction process by dual effect of the load stress and hydraulic pressure, which led to a poor wear resistance and a low load capacity.