The influence of the H/E ratio on wear resistance of coating systems – Insights from small-scale testing

The limit of applicability of the correlation between the ratio of hardness to elastic modulus (H/E) of coating systems and their wear resistance has been explored. Experimental approaches to determine accurate H/E values by nanoindentation are discussed and best practice recommendations summarised. Small-scale tribo-testing has been used to simplify complex wear conditions, and the role of contact severity and damage tolerance studied to determine why and when coating optimisation strategies are effective. Case studies show the importance of relatively low coating elastic modulus in reducing tensile stresses in sliding/abrasive contact. This may be a key factor in why coating design for optimised H/E and resistance to plastic deformation, H³/E², can be more effective than aiming for extremely high coating hardness since that is typically accompanied by high coating stiffness. The influence of substrate ductility and load support on the damage tolerance of the coating system in impact tests has been investigated by testing at different contact size. Results show that mechanical and microstructural factors should not be considered in isolation. The role of coating microstructural design and temperature on optimising coating performance in high speed machining is investigated.