MEC-CH-COATINGS PRODUCED BY ARC-IONPLATING PROCESS

In the past metal carbon layers gained more and more importance in tri bological applications. Especially those applications without lubricat ions as food biotechnology or medical industrial are of high interest for hard metal-carbon layers. Special characteristics of different arc metal, doped hard carbon layers will be reported with respect to thei r wear and corrosion behaviour as well as with respect to thermodynami cal constitution In addition to the laboratory investigations, pratica l long term results on plunger, clean fuel pumps and bearings will be discussed. The different metal species in the hard carbon influence th e characteristics in different ways. Chromium reduces the corrosion pr otection dramatically but increases the layers wear resistance. Alloy of titanium tungsten result in the lowest friction coefficient with le ss dependancy on moisture. Niobium leads to layers with the lowest har dness but with a good transfer behaviour.