Tribological interactions between nitride coatings and Al₂O₃ counterparts: time-dependent friction mechanisms and thermo-mechanical response

In this study, CrN, AlCrN, TiN, and AlTiN coatings were deposited on 316L stainless steel substrates and subsequently ground against Al2O3 counterpart balls. Tribological investigations and force-thermal coupled numerical modeling were employed to elucidate the performance differences among the nitride coatings, as well as their friction and wear mechanisms. The reciprocating frequency significantly influences the friction coefficients of the CrN, TiN, AlCrN, and AlTiN coatings. The primary wear processes of the various nitride coatings differ, with adhesive wear being the predominant mechanism for CrN, AlCrN, and TiN coatings. In contrast, AlTiN coatings experience wear through adhesive, abrasive, and fatigue mechanisms. Additionally, oxidized wear occurs in all nitride coatings, with CrN exhibiting the least oxidized wear and AlTiN the most. Numerical simulations indicate that varying reciprocating frequencies and material compositions affect Von-Mises stress and temperature rise at the contact interface. The maximum Von-Mises stresses on the surfaces of CrN and TiN coatings are relatively low, at 1394 MPa and 1380 MPa, respectively. In comparison, the maximum Von-Mises stresses on the surfaces of AlCrN and AlTiN coatings reach 1479 MPa and 1435 MPa, respectively. The reciprocating frequency has a substantial impact on temperature rise; as the frequency increases from 1 Hz to 4 Hz, the maximum temperature rise on the TiN-coated surface is recorded at 5.61°C, 9.08°C, 12.53°C, and 23.52°C.