Investigation of the tribological properties of the different textured DLC coatings under reciprocating lubricated conditions

In this study, we propose the use of laser surface texturing methods to improve the wear resistance of diamond-like-carbon (DLC) coatings. First, the application of dimples perpendicular to an engineering surface is introduced by using laser in a controlled manner. The solid DLC lubricant is subsequently deposited on the textured surface using the magnetron sputtering technique. In the experiments, the dimple densities were varied from 0 to 30%, and the dimple diameters were varied from 40 to 300 μm. The effect of the geometric parameters on the wear performance was studied using a reciprocating sliding-wear tester under oil lubrication conditions. The results showed that the DLC coatings with the appropriate dimple density (10%) and diameter (∼100 μm) demonstrated an obvious improvement in terms of the friction coefficient and wear rate compared with that of the un-textured DLC coatings. The experimental treatment produced respective reductions of 20% in friction and nearly 52% reduction of wear rate. This improvement could be explained by the action of reservoirs that enhance lubricant retention and trap the wear particles during sliding motions. In addition, the relationship between the dimple diameter, the contact width ratio and the wear performance is discussed.