Wear Behavior of Network-Structured Carbon Nanotube Coating on Titanium Substrate

This study investigated the tribological property and wear behavior of pure titanium (Ti) plate coated with un-bundled multi-walled carbon nanotubes (NWCNTs). The network-structured MWCNT films were formed on Ti substrate, and their tribological properties were examined by the ball-on-disk wear test equipment under a dry sliding condition. SUS304 stainless steel ball was used as a counterpart material in this test. The mean friction coefficient of the Ti plate coated with MWCNTs was remarkably lower and stable compared to the as-received pure Ti plate without any coating films. SEM-EDS analysis showed the network-structured MWCNT films obviously remained after a wear test for 3.6 ks in sliding and no seizure phenomena with the SUS304 ball. The above excellent tribological performance was due to CNTs self-lubricant properties, their bearing effects and the strong metallurgical bonding between Ti plate and MWCNT films by annealing.