Comparative study of wear mechanism of surface treated AISI 316L stainless steel

Coating is a technique employed for the surface of materials to have thermal insulation, hot corrosion and oxidation resistance. Ion implantation forms modifications in surface composition or morphology of solids which yield to a change of physical and especially mechanical properties such as hardness and modulus of elasticity. The objective of this investigation is to concentrate on the friction and wear behaviour of TiN, N₂ and Zr implanted and TiN and Tinalox PVD coated 316L stainless steel and compare with a substrate. Mainly stainless steels were of attraction, because they frequently demonstrate a poor tribological behaviour, which can be enhanced when they are hardened by incorporating N₂, TiN Tinalox and Zr and forming a hardened surface zone.