Tribological behavior of Fe3C–CNT bilayers grown by plasma-induced metal dusting: Insights into the effect of nanotubes catalyst particles on friction and wear

This work investigates the tribological behavior of bilayer surfaces formed by vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VACNT) films grown on top of cementite (Fe3C) layers. Four Fe3C–VACNT surfaces with different morphological and structural aspects were developed using plasma carburizing associated wit...

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Main Authors: Thiago De Souza Lamim, Tainá Pigosso, Tainan Daniel Andrioni, Diego Martínez-Martínez, José Daniel Biasoli de Mello, Cristiano Simões Abreu, Aloisio Nelmo Klein, Tatiana Bendo, Cristiano Binder
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Tsinghua University Press 2025-03-01
Series:Friction
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Online Access:https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.26599/FRICT.2025.9440999
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author Thiago De Souza Lamim
Tainá Pigosso
Tainan Daniel Andrioni
Diego Martínez-Martínez
José Daniel Biasoli de Mello
Cristiano Simões Abreu
Aloisio Nelmo Klein
Tatiana Bendo
Cristiano Binder
author_facet Thiago De Souza Lamim
Tainá Pigosso
Tainan Daniel Andrioni
Diego Martínez-Martínez
José Daniel Biasoli de Mello
Cristiano Simões Abreu
Aloisio Nelmo Klein
Tatiana Bendo
Cristiano Binder
author_sort Thiago De Souza Lamim
collection DOAJ
description This work investigates the tribological behavior of bilayer surfaces formed by vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VACNT) films grown on top of cementite (Fe3C) layers. Four Fe3C–VACNT surfaces with different morphological and structural aspects were developed using plasma carburizing associated with the metal dusting phenomenon. Their tribological performance was assessed by reciprocating dry sliding tests using a ball-on-flat configuration. The combined analysis of the wear tracks through optical and scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy indicates that the catalyst particles of the carbon nanotubes are an essential factor controlling the tribosystem. Lubrication and wear depend on the ratio between the nanotubes and their catalyst particle lengths (LN/LP). VACNT films with LN/LP > 20 promoted friction coefficient (COF) of ~0.08 and reduced the wear rate of the ferrous substrate up to 70%. Wear rates showed an exponential reduction by increasing LN/LP. However, the VACNT film with LN/LP < 10 induced severe abrasive wear since the beginning of the tribotests, leading to worse tribological performance than a reference surface composed of a single Fe3C layer. Furthermore, the initial crystallinity of the VACNT films did not affect the solid lubrication or wear resistance of the surfaces.
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issn 2223-7690
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language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Tsinghua University Press
record_format Article
series Friction
spelling doaj-art-3ba20ae20666465a8da193dbbea338ae2025-08-20T02:47:49ZengTsinghua University PressFriction2223-76902223-77042025-03-01133944099910.26599/FRICT.2025.9440999Tribological behavior of Fe3C–CNT bilayers grown by plasma-induced metal dusting: Insights into the effect of nanotubes catalyst particles on friction and wearThiago De Souza Lamim0Tainá Pigosso1Tainan Daniel Andrioni2Diego Martínez-Martínez3José Daniel Biasoli de Mello4Cristiano Simões Abreu5Aloisio Nelmo Klein6Tatiana Bendo7Cristiano Binder8Laboratório de Materiais, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Campus Trindade, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900, BrazilLaboratório de Materiais, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Campus Trindade, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900, BrazilLaboratório de Materiais, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Campus Trindade, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900, BrazilLuxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Esch-sur-Alzette, 4362, LuxembourgLaboratório de Materiais, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Campus Trindade, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900, BrazilPhysics Dep., Instituto Superior de Eng. do Porto (ISEP), PortugalLaboratório de Materiais, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Campus Trindade, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900, BrazilLaboratório de Materiais, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Campus Trindade, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900, BrazilLaboratório de Materiais, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Campus Trindade, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900, BrazilThis work investigates the tribological behavior of bilayer surfaces formed by vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VACNT) films grown on top of cementite (Fe3C) layers. Four Fe3C–VACNT surfaces with different morphological and structural aspects were developed using plasma carburizing associated with the metal dusting phenomenon. Their tribological performance was assessed by reciprocating dry sliding tests using a ball-on-flat configuration. The combined analysis of the wear tracks through optical and scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy indicates that the catalyst particles of the carbon nanotubes are an essential factor controlling the tribosystem. Lubrication and wear depend on the ratio between the nanotubes and their catalyst particle lengths (LN/LP). VACNT films with LN/LP > 20 promoted friction coefficient (COF) of ~0.08 and reduced the wear rate of the ferrous substrate up to 70%. Wear rates showed an exponential reduction by increasing LN/LP. However, the VACNT film with LN/LP < 10 induced severe abrasive wear since the beginning of the tribotests, leading to worse tribological performance than a reference surface composed of a single Fe3C layer. Furthermore, the initial crystallinity of the VACNT films did not affect the solid lubrication or wear resistance of the surfaces.https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.26599/FRICT.2025.9440999plasma carburizingmetal dustingcementitecarbon nanotubessolid lubrication
spellingShingle Thiago De Souza Lamim
Tainá Pigosso
Tainan Daniel Andrioni
Diego Martínez-Martínez
José Daniel Biasoli de Mello
Cristiano Simões Abreu
Aloisio Nelmo Klein
Tatiana Bendo
Cristiano Binder
Tribological behavior of Fe3C–CNT bilayers grown by plasma-induced metal dusting: Insights into the effect of nanotubes catalyst particles on friction and wear
Friction
plasma carburizing
metal dusting
cementite
carbon nanotubes
solid lubrication
title Tribological behavior of Fe3C–CNT bilayers grown by plasma-induced metal dusting: Insights into the effect of nanotubes catalyst particles on friction and wear
title_full Tribological behavior of Fe3C–CNT bilayers grown by plasma-induced metal dusting: Insights into the effect of nanotubes catalyst particles on friction and wear
title_fullStr Tribological behavior of Fe3C–CNT bilayers grown by plasma-induced metal dusting: Insights into the effect of nanotubes catalyst particles on friction and wear
title_full_unstemmed Tribological behavior of Fe3C–CNT bilayers grown by plasma-induced metal dusting: Insights into the effect of nanotubes catalyst particles on friction and wear
title_short Tribological behavior of Fe3C–CNT bilayers grown by plasma-induced metal dusting: Insights into the effect of nanotubes catalyst particles on friction and wear
title_sort tribological behavior of fe3c cnt bilayers grown by plasma induced metal dusting insights into the effect of nanotubes catalyst particles on friction and wear
topic plasma carburizing
metal dusting
cementite
carbon nanotubes
solid lubrication
url https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.26599/FRICT.2025.9440999
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