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SilcoTek's Coating Wear Resistance is Tested Using Pin-on-disk Technique

Published on March 03 2023

Assorted-Sulfinert-Sampling-Parts

 

Wear is a Nightmare

Wear can cause problems in most applications and can be frustrating, expensive, and time-consuming to deal with. We were curious about the wear resistance of our coatings and took a closer look at 5 of them. Our researchers have data to determine which of these 5 coatings provide the best wear resistance in comparison to an uncoated sample, which is detailed below. 

 

Why is This Important?

From the cost of replacements to down-time profit loss, wear and abrasion can be a serious headache. Our coatings are designed to improve chemical compatibility, corrosion resistance, and surface energy. Due to the extremely thin profile of our coatings (all less than 2 microns thick), we are usually not the best option for physically aggressive applications where extremely hard materials are required. That said, SilcoTek’s coatings are used in a variety of industrial applications with challenging conditions that require the coating to withstand handling, wear from moving parts, and particulate abrasion. We work with leading manufacturers of products like valves that have moving internal components and require a coating to withstand the movement. 

In a previous similar experiment (check out the Featured Content to the right), we compared 3 SilcoTek coatings. Dr. Min Yuan took a look at how hardness and wear resistance are measured and calculated. In the previous blog post, we are discussing RD5, which we are now marketing as Siltride. 

 

Synopsis

This​ blog ​reports​ the​ results​ of ​pin-on-disk​ wear​ tests ​of ​five​ SilcoTek®​ coatings:​ Silcolloy® 1000,​ Dursan®,​ SiltrideSM, ​RD13​ and ​RD14, ​along​ with ​uncoated control​ samples.​ Results ​from ​two ​sets ​of​ test​ conditions ​were ​reported,​ and ​samples ​were ​analyzed​ with​ profilometry, ​SEM ​and​ EDS ​techniques ​to ​obtain​ wear​ track ​volumes ​and coating ​integrity ​information​ after ​wear.​ The ​tested ​coatings​ were​ ranked ​in ​terms​ of ​wear ​performance ​based​ on​ the ​analysis ​results.​

 

Siltride is a new silicon-oxy-nitride coating that will be commercially available in the coming months! Stay tuned for more information on Siltride. RD13 and RD14 are experimental coatings used in this trial, which are still in the development state with our research teams here to help solve specific problems. RD14 is a hydrocarbon-functionalized carbosilane deposition, where as RD13 is a hydrogenated, amorphous silicon-rich silicon oxynitride (a-SiOx Ny :H). If you have questions about these particular coatings, please reach out to us! 

Background

Pin-on-disk ​is ​a ​widely​ used ​technique ​to ​evaluate​ tribological ​properties​ of ​thin​ protective ​films.​ The​ measurement ​is ​usually ​carried ​out ​using​ a ​tribometer​ as depicted ​in ​Figure​ 1 ​below, ​with ​the ​sample​ mounted ​on​ a​ rotating​ stage​ and​ a​ stationary pin pressed against the sample ​surface ​(the​ rotating​ disk)​ under​ a ​given ​load ​to ​create ​a ​wear​ track.​ The ​most ​common​ shapes ​for ​the ​pin​ are spherical​ (ball) ​or ​cylindrical​ due ​to ​ease of​ alignment.​ The ​volume​ of ​the ​wear track​ (material lost) ​is ​measured to ​calculate the ​wear​ rate ​of ​the ​film ​material,​ and ​under ​identical ​test ​conditions, ​can ​be ​used ​to ​compare ​the ​wear ​resistance​ of ​different ​films.

Five ​SilcoTek coatings ​(Silcolloy 1000,​ Dursan, ​Siltride, ​RD13​ and ​RD14), ​along​ with uncoated control samples were independently tested via pin-on-disk by the Tribology/Materials ​Processing ​Laboratory​ at ​the Pennsylvania ​State ​University. Post-test​ samples ​were​ analyzed ​using ​profilometry​ and SEM/EDS ​techniques to ​quantify​ the​ wear​ track ​volume ​and ​assess ​coating ​integrity. ​The ​test ​results are reported in this ​blog ​and ​the​ five ​coatings ​are ​ranked​ in ​terms ​of ​their​ wear​ performance ​based ​on ​the ​analysis ​results.

pin on disc

​​Figure 1: A schematic diagram of a pin-on-disk test1

 

Data and Discussion

Electropolished​ 316L ​stainless-steel​ coupons​ (2.25” L​ x ​2.25” W​ x ​0.03” D)​ were ​used ​as ​substrates​ in ​this study. Coupons​ went​ through ​SilcoTek’s​ standard ​surface​ preparation ​and ​coating​ processes​ for​ each ​individual​ coating type.​ Uncoated ​control ​samples​ were ​sent​ through​ the ​standard​ surface ​preparation ​but​ not ​the ​coating​ process.​Testing ​was ​conducted ​on ​a ​Bruker ​UMT ​TriboLab ​tribometer ​equipped ​with ​the ​pin-on-disk ​module ​at ​room temperature ​in ​ambient​ air, ​and ​a​ hardened 440° C stainless-steel​ ball​ was​ used​ as ​the ​pin​ in​ the ​test. Sample​ wear​ tracks ​were​ analyzed ​using ​a ​KLA ​Tencor​ P16+ ​profilometer ​to ​measure​ wear​ track​ cross​sectional​ areas, and ​a ​Thermo​ Fisher ​Scientific ​Apreo ​SEM​ equipment​ equipped ​with ​an​ EDS ​analyzer ​to ​assess​ coating ​integrity after ​wear.​ Wear ​rate ​was ​calculated ​from​ the​ measured ​wear​ cross-sectional​ area.2 ​Two​ different​ test​ conditions were ​used ​for ​​wear ​evaluation​ of ​the ​coatings​ and ​the ​results​ are ​reported​ below.​

1​. Test​ condition ​1:​ 1N ​force​ and​ 15 ​minutes ​test​ duration

Pin on disc test condition 1

Table 1: Pin-on-disk test condition 1

The ​test ​parameters ​for ​condition ​1 ​are ​outlined ​in​ Table ​1.​ Three ​coupons ​from ​each ​coating ​type ​as ​well ​as ​the uncoated control ​were​ tested ​under ​condition ​1. ​The ​average ​value ​of​ the​ three ​samples ​for​ each ​tested ​surface​ is ​reported in ​Table ​2 ​below,​ along ​with​ the​ corresponding ​wear ​rate ​calculated ​from​ the ​wear ​track ​cross ​sectional​ area.2​ Figure ​2​ shows​ the ​wear ​track ​cross ​sectional ​profile ​comparison ​of ​the ​six ​surfaces.​ Dursan, ​Siltride, and​ RD13 ​showed ​much​ smoother ​wear ​tracks ​than ​the​ other ​three ​surfaces, ​indicating ​less ​material ​loss​ hence ​higher wear resistance.​

 

Avg wear track cross section - wear rate

Table 2: Average wear track cross sectional area and corresponding wear rate for each tested surface

 

wear track height scan length

Figure 2: Wear track cross sectional profile comparison of the six tested surfaces (1N and 15 minutes)

 

The​ post-wear ​samples​ were ​also ​analyzed​ using​ SEM​ and​ EDS ​techniques​ to ​assess ​the ​wear ​track ​appearance and ​coating ​integrity.​ Figure ​3 ​shows ​the ​SEM​ images ​of ​the ​six ​surfaces ​after ​test ​(grey ​images;​ all ​taken ​at ​500x magnifications) ​and ​their ​corresponding​ silicon ​EDS ​maps ​(blue ​maps ​for ​the ​coated​ samples ​and ​green​ iron ​map for ​the ​uncoated ​control). ​A​ lack​ of​ blue​ in​ the ​EDS​ map​ indicates ​coating ​loss ​as ​a ​result ​of ​the ​pin-on-disk ​test. While ​the ​uncoated ​control, ​SL1000 ​and​ RD14 ​all ​showed ​considerable ​material ​loss ​in ​the ​EDS ​maps, ​Siltride ​and RD13 ​showed ​minimal ​coating ​loss ​and ​Dursan​ showed ​a​n arrow ​wear ​track ​with ​a ​small ​amount ​of ​coating ​loss. These ​observations ​agree ​well ​with ​the​ profilometry​ results ​reported​ in ​Figure​ 2, ​confirming ​that ​Siltride, ​RD13​, and Dursan​ are ​the ​three ​top ​performers​ under ​test ​condition​ 1.​

 

SEM and EDS wear track

Figure 3: Wear track of the six tested surfaces under SEM (grey images; all taken at 500x magnifications) and silicon EDS maps showing coating coverage after test (coated samples in blue silicon EDS maps and the uncoated control in green iron map)

 

2.​ Test ​condition​ 2: ​2N​ force​ and ​20 ​minutes ​test​ duration​

Pin on disc test condition 2

Table 3: Pin-on-disk test condition 2

 

The ​test ​parameters ​for ​condition 2​ are ​outlined ​in​ Table ​3.​ Only ​the​ three ​top​ performers ​in​ test​ 1 ​and​ the ​uncoated control ​were ​tested​ under​ condition ​2, ​and ​one​ sample​ was ​tested ​per ​surface ​type.​ The​ wear​ track​ cross sectional areas ​and ​their ​corresponding​ wear​ rates ​are reported​ in ​Table ​4 ​below. ​Figure​ 4 ​shows ​the​ wear ​track​ cross​ sectional​ profile​ comparison ​of​ the ​four ​surfaces.​ Siltride​ showed​ smoother wear ​track ​profile ​and ​outperformed​ the​ other ​three​ surfaces ​in ​terms​ of​ wear ​resistance.​

 

Avg wear track cross section - wear rate 2

Table 4: Average wear track cross sectional area and corresponding wear rate for each tested surface

 

Avg wear track cross section - wear rate 2-1

Figure 4: Wear track cross sectional profile comparison of the four tested surfaces (2N and 20 minutes)

 

The​ post-wear ​samples ​were​ again ​analyzed ​using ​SEM ​and ​EDS​ techniques ​to ​assess​ the ​wear ​track ​appearance and coating ​integrity.​ Figure ​5 ​shows​ the​ SEM ​images ​of ​the ​four ​surfaces ​after ​test ​(top ​row;​all ​taken ​at ​500x​  magnifications) ​and ​their ​corresponding ​EDS ​maps ​(coated​ samples​ in ​blue​ silicon​ maps ​and ​the ​uncoated ​control in ​teal ​iron ​map). ​A ​lack ​of ​blue ​in ​the ​EDS ​map ​indicates ​coating ​loss ​due ​to ​the ​pin-on-disk​ test.​ The​ results​ correspond ​well ​with ​the ​profilometry ​results ​reported​ in ​Figure ​4. ​Siltride ​showed​ some​ coating​ loss ​but ​overall much​ better ​integrity ​than​ Dursan ​and ​RD13 ​under​ test​ condition ​2. ​

 

SEM and EDS wear track 2Figure 5: Wear track of the four tested surfaces under SEM (top row; all taken at 500x magnifications) and EDS maps (bottom row) showing coating coverage after test (coated samples in blue silicon EDS maps and the uncoated control in teal iron map)

 

Summary

This ​blog ​reports ​the ​pin-on-disk wear ​test​ results ​of ​five ​SilcoTek​ coatings ​(Silcolloy 1000, ​Dursan,​ Siltride,​ RD13​ and ​RD14),​  along ​with ​uncoated ​control ​samples. ​The ​pin-on-disk ​test​ was ​carried ​out​ at​ the Tribology/Materials ​Processing​  Laboratory ​at ​the ​Pennsylvania ​State ​University,​ using​ two​ sets ​of ​conditions. ​Post-test samples ​were ​analyzed using​ profilometry ​and ​SEM/EDS​ techniques ​to ​quantify ​the ​wear ​track ​volume​ and ​assess ​coating​ integrity. ​Based on ​the​ results ​from ​both ​test ​conditions, ​the ​five ​coatings​ were ​ranked ​in ​terms​ of ​their ​wear​ performance​ as ​follows:​ Siltride  > RD13 ≈ ​Dursan ​> ​SL1000 ​> ​RD14. ​Siltride ​was ​found ​to ​be ​the​ most ​wear ​resistant ​coating​ of ​the ​five, and​ the ​wear​ rate ​of ​Siltride ​was ​about ​40%​ of​ the​ uncoated ​stainless-steel ​surface ​under ​both​ testing ​conditions.​

 

Download the Pin-on-disk  Technical Insight

 

Applications Where More Resistant Coatings Would be Beneficial: 

  • Flow control valves in process analyzers
  • Steel molds and extrusion components for plastics
  • Heat exchanger tubing (size limitations apply)
  • Mixers and reactors
  • Pump components
  • Threaded parts
  • Cylinders, plungers, and impellers

 

If you are interested in learning more about our coatings and their properties, please contact us! 

Contact Our Technical  Service Team

References

1)​ https://www.tribonet.org/wiki/pin-on-disk-test/

2) Novak, ​R. and​ Polcar, ​T. ​“Tribological​ analysis ​of ​thin​ films​ by ​pin-on-disc:​evaluation ​of ​friction ​and ​wear​​ measurement ​uncertainty”,​Tribology ​International ​2014,​ 74, ​154.​

 

 

Posted by Dr. Min Yuan

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SilcoTek Story: Misdiagnoses From Suspected Analyte Carryover

What are the Properties and Benefits of SilcoTek Coatings?

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