Abstract
To reduce the friction coefficient of cobalt-cemented tungsten carbide (WC-12Co) wear-resistant coatings, graphene was compounded into WC-12Co powder via wet ball milling and spray granulation. Self-lubricating and wear-resistant graphene coatings were prepared via detonation gun spraying. The presence, morphologies, and phase compositions of graphene in the powders and coatings that are obtained through different powder preparation processes were analyzed. The analysis was performed using the following technologies: energy-dispersive X-ray-spectroscopy (EDXS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Raman spectroscopy. The mechanical properties of the coatings were studied using a microhardness tester and a universal drawing machine. The friction and wear properties of the coatings were studied using an SRV-4 friction and wear tester. The results showed that the graphene content in the WC-12Co coating modified with graphene was higher than that without modification; graphene was embedded in the structure in a transparent and thin-layer state. The adhesive strength of this coating at approximately 25 °C was approximately 60.33 MPa, and the hardness was approximately 984 HV0.3. After high-temperature treatment, the adhesive strength and hardness of the graphene oxide (GO)/WC-12Co coating decreased slightly (the lowest adhesive strength of 53.16 MPa was observed after treatment at 400 °C, and the lowest hardness of approximately 837 HV0.3 was observed after treatment at 300 °C). Compared to the friction coefficient (0.6) of the WC-12Co coating obtained at room temperature, the friction coefficient of the GO/WC-12Co coating was decreased by approximately 50% of that value. The graphene-modified coating was continuously exposed to the wear tracks on the surface of the contacting materials during friction, and a lubricating film was formed in the microareas in which the wear tracks were present. The coating exhibited improved self-lubricating and wear-resistant effects compared to the unmodified WC-12Co coating. The results of this study demonstrated that graphene could be effective in self-lubrication and wear-reduction in a temperature range of 100–200 °C, as a friction coefficient of 0.3 was maintained.
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This project was sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51605455).
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Haoliang TIAN. He graduated from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics with a doctor’s degree and now works in the Institute of surface engineering, Beijing Institute of aeronautical materials, AVIC, China. He is a senior engineer, mainly engaged in the material design, structural design, and process optimization of thermal spray wear-resistant coating and thermal protective coating for key components of aeroengine, focusing on the research of coating service mechanism and reliability improvement.
Changliang WANG. He graduated from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics with a master’s degree and now works in the Surface Engineering Research Institute of Beijing Institute of aeronautical materials, AVIC, China. He is a senior engineer, mainly engaged in the research and development of high temperature resistant self-lubricating coating materials for key components of aeroengine, process optimization, and research on the mechanism of high temperature resistant self-lubricating and wear-resistant coating.
Mengqiu GUO. He graduated from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics with a master’s degree and now works in the Surface Engineering Research Institute of Beijing Institute of aeronautical materials, AVIC, China. He is a senior engineer, mainly engaged in the research and development of high-temperature abradable coating materials for key components of aeroengine, surface texture, spray process optimization and coating abradable mechanism.
Yongjing CUI. He graduated from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics with a master’s degree and now works in the Surface Engineering Research Institute of Beijing Institute of aeronautical materials, AVIC, China. He is a senior engineer, mainly engaged in the research and development of anti-scour coating material of resin matrix composite for aeroengine, the development of explosion spraying technology, and the research of service behavior of coating.
Junguo GAO. He graduated from Beijing University of Science and Technology with a doctor’s degree and now works in the Surface Engineering Research Institute of Beijing Institute of aeronautical materials, AVIC, China. He is a senior engineer, mainly engaged in the research and development of sealing/superhydrophobic coating materials, structural design, and coating service behavior for aeroengine.
Zhihui TANG. He is a director and a researcher. He graduated from University of Science and Technology of China with a master’s degree and now works in Surface Engineering Research Institute of Beijing Aeronautical Materials Research Institute of China Aviation Development Corporation, China. He is a senior engineer, mainly engaged in the research and development of anti-corrosion coating materials, structural design, coating corrosion behavior, and corrosion mechanism for aeroengine.
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Tian, H., Wang, C., Guo, M. et al. Microstructures and high-temperature self-lubricating wear-resistance mechanisms of graphene-modified WC-12Co coatings. Friction 9, 315–331 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40544-019-0346-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40544-019-0346-7