Microscopic real time observation of failure, wear and deformation on coating/subsurface

The deposition of surface coatings on industrial component is widely used f or reducing wear and friction in the tribological application. Tribological properties of various kinds of coatings have been systematically analyzed. This paper mainly deals with the investigation of failure mechanism of the coating/subsurface through the microscopic observation in real time throug h the repetition of sliding friction. The results of observations suggest t hat the mechanical failure is characterized by the intrinsic properties of coating and substrate materials, e.g. the relation between the thickness of coating and the depth of the plastically deformed region in the substrate. In the present study the microscopic real time observation is performed to investigate the failure of coating/subsurface by use of`'frictional surfac e microscope system', which is assembled by combining a metallographic micr oscope and a frictional device operated in the field of view of the microsc ope. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.