Mechanisms and formation of tribological nanolayers in boundary lubrication of DLC coatings
Project aim is to determine correlations between the basic physical-chemical and structural properties of the coatings and lubricants with the formation of protective nano tribochemical films and their efficiency in boundary lubrication.
Improvements of diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings over the past 10 years has made it possible for them to become the most valuable and promising types of coatings for many mechanical engineering applications. Their low friction and sometimes “super-low” friction, corrosion-, adhesion-, and stiction prevention, low wear etc. are the most valuable properties. As a result, DLC coatings are nowadays expected to perform in a superior manner in various mechanical systems, including high-stressed and lubricated applications. For a qualitatively new and inventive step, which would allow optimization and tailoring of these tribological systems, acting boundary lubrication mechanisms need to be determined; when and why, under which conditions, what are the coatings structure and lubricants functional groups required for the interactions to occur and to form protective nano-films and consequently achieve the actual boundary “lubrication”.