Review of tribological behavior of graphene coatings on piston rings in engines
Industrial Lubrication and Tribology
ISSN: 0036-8792
Article publication date: 25 January 2019
Issue publication date: 1 April 2020
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to find out friction and wear characteristics of graphene and graphene coating deposited by the Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) process on Honda GX270 engine (nodular cast iron) piston rings experimentally investigated under boundary lubricated conditions.
Design/methodology/approach
This study consists of two stages: tribotest and engine tests. First test was conducted through a reciprocating tribotest machine and second test was conducted through an engine bench with a duration of 75h. Engine piston ring was coated with graphene by two different methods: transfer method and direct CVD method.
Findings
Graphene has been demonstrated to be a potential and promising candidate for wear- and scratch-resistant coating because it is the thinnest, lightest and strongest known nanomaterial. In this case, the ability of a mono-layer graphene film to withstand high pressure differences (6 atm) indicates its mechanical robustness. It can effectively prevent or reduce mechanical failure by strengthening and toughening the loaded surface as well as by transferring the stress throughout the structure. The positive tribological outcomes of the graphene reinforced material under various dynamic loads revealed the potential of graphene-based coatings in macro - and micro-tribology.
Originality/value
This study fulfils an identified need to study for automotive industry a coating which is wear and scratch resistant.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Some part of this work is related to the second and third part of the report of the Joint Research and Development Project Number114M833 signed and accepted between 2510-The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey and The Ministry of Higher Education Scientific Research of Tunisia. The authors would like to thank Yves Berthier (Lamcos INSA de Lyon, France) for providing and supporting Digital Optical Microscope, SEM-EDX analyses during the project mission. Especially, the authors would like to thank Professor Dae-Eun Kim (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University Center for Nano-Wear) offering the facilities of 3D Digital Confocal Optical Microscope, SEM-EDX analysis.
Citation
Acunaş Karagöz, Z.B., Demirtaş, S., Kaleli, H., Yüksek, L. and Çıtak, E. (2020), "Review of tribological behavior of graphene coatings on piston rings in engines", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 72 No. 2, pp. 243-254. https://doi.org/10.1108/ILT-06-2018-0233
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited