Manufacturing Technology 2019, 19(4):700-705 | DOI: 10.21062/ujep/358.2019/a/1213-2489/MT/19/4/700

Microhardness and Nano-hardness Measurement of Composite Coatings Applied to Aluminium Substrate

Jaroslava Svobodová¹, Irena Lysoňková¹, Miroslav Krejčí²

¹ Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of J. E. Purkyně in Ústí nad Labem. Pasteurova 3334/7, 400 96 Ústí nad Labem. Czech Republic

² Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of West Bohemia. Univerzitní 2732/8, 301 00 Plzeň. Czech Republic

In recent years, significant success has been achieved in surface treatment research, particularly in the field of physics, which deals with the surface properties of metals and their alloys, as well as new methods of coating preparation and thin films. These coatings and layers can modify material properties, i.e. increase oxidation and corrosion resistance, and improve frictional surface characteristics and other physical properties (e.g. electronics and optics). This article focuses on the mechanical properties of the coating, in particular on the hardness of composite PTFE coatings with WC micro and nano particles. In the experiment, samples of different concentrations of WC particles in the PTFE matrix were prepared, followed by a Vickers and Nanoindentation test. The difficulty in measuring the hardness of these layers is their small thickness. It is therefore difficult to measure the hardness by conventional methods, for example, Brinell or Vickers. The applicability of the individual methods (according to Vickers, nanoindentation test) we have experimentally verified and drawn the relevant conclusions and recommendations. Part of the contribution is also SEM documentation of created coatings. An important parameter is the coating technology itself when making these composite coatings. The technology can influence the distribution of particles in the matrix, which results in the homogeneity of the coating and the associated mechanical properties or tribological properties.

Keywords: Hardness, Nanoindentation Test, Composite Coatings, PTFE, WC Particles, Aluminium Substrate

Grants and funding:

Supported by the OP VVV Project Development of new nano and micro coatings on the surface of selected metallic materials - NANOTECH ITI II., Reg. No CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/18_069/0010045.

Published: August 1, 2019  Show citation