COMPONENT, USE OF A COMPONENT, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A WEAR-RESISTANT AND FRICTION-REDUCING COMPONENT

Abstract

A component is provided, in which at least one surface is at least partially provided with a layer system. According to the invention, the layer system is formed of a tetrahedral, hydrogen-free, amorphous first carbon layer applied to the at least one surface of the component, onto which first carbon layer a hydrogen-free amorphous second carbon layer is applied.

Claims

1. A component comprising at least one surface at least partly provided with a layer system, (14), the layer system is comprised of a tetrahedral water-free amorphous first carbon layer applied to the at least one surface of the component and on top of which a water-free amorphous second carbon layer has been applied, the first carbon layer is a ta-C sp3-bonded carbon layer and the second carbon layer is an a-C sp2-bonded carbon layer, and at least one of a metal or a nonmetal is introduced as dopant into the layer system, and the nonmetal is selected from the group consisting of silicon and nitrogen.

2. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein a total layer thickness (D) of the layer system is from 0.5 to 5 m.

3. The component as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a bonding layer applied at least to the at least one surface of the component before application of the first carbon layer.

4. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dopant comprises at least one metal from the group consisting of copper and tungsten.

5. A method for reducing wear between friction partners, comprising: providing component with the at least one surface that is at least partly provided with the layer system as claimed in claim 1, and moving the component in a wear-resistant and friction-reducing manner on a friction partner.

6. A process for producing a wear-resistant and friction-reducing component, in which at least one surface is at least partly provided with a layer system, characterized by comprising the following steps: depositing a tetrahedral water-free amorphous first carbon layer in the form of a ta-C sp3-bonded carbon layer on top of the at least one surface of the component; and depositing a water-free amorphous second carbon layer in the form of an a-c sp2-bonded carbon layer on top of the first carbon layer; and introducing at least one of a metal or nonmetal as dopant into the layer system being deposited, with the nonmetal being selected from the group consisting of silicon and nitrogen.

7. The process as claimed in claim 6, further comprising providing a bonding layer at least to the at least one surface of the component before deposition of the first carbon layer.

8. (canceled)

9. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dopant comprises at least one of copper or silicon.

10. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dopant comprises nitrogen.

11. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the component is a chain pin.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Illustrative embodiments provide a more detailed explanation of the invention and its advantages below with the aid of the accompanying figures. The relative sizes in the figures do not always correspond to the actual relative sizes since some shapes are simplified and other shapes are enlarged relative to other elements in the interests of clarity. The figures show:

[0023] FIG. 1 a side elevation of the component according to the invention in which a surface has been at least partly provided with a layer system;

[0024] FIG. 2 a side elevation of the layer system of FIG. 1;

[0025] FIG. 3 a graph which shows the mechanical-technological properties of layer systems which can be employed for the present invention;

[0026] FIG. 4 a graph which shows the coefficient of friction in a ball-on-disc tribometer of various carbon layers which can be employed for a layer system according to the present invention; and

[0027] FIG. 5 a graph which shows the degree of wear in a ball-on-disc tribometer of various carbon layers which can be employed for a layer system according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] Identical reference symbols are used for elements which are the same or have the same effect. Furthermore, in the interests of clarity, only reference symbols which are necessary for the description of the respective figure are shown in the individual figures. The embodiments presented are merely examples of how the component of the invention, the use according to the invention of a component and the process of the invention for producing a wear-resistant and friction-reducing component can be configured and thus do not represent a definitive limitation of the invention.

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a side elevation of the component 10 according to the invention in which a surface 12 is at least partly provided with a layer system 14. According to the invention, the layer system 14 is formed of a tetrahedral water-free amorphous first carbon layer 16 which has been applied to the surface 12 of the component 10 and on top of which a water-free amorphous second carbon layer 18 has been applied. The layer system 14 formed by the two carbon layers 16, 18 preferably has a total layer thickness D of from 0.5 to 5 m.

[0030] In the embodiment shown here, a bonding layer 20 has been applied to the surface 12 of the component 10 before application of the first carbon layer 16, so that better adhesion is ensured.

[0031] FIG. 2 shows a side elevation of the layer system 14 including the first (ta-C sp3-bonded) carbon layer 16 and the second (a-C sp2-bonded) carbon layer 18, with a bonding layer 20 being applied to the surface 12 of the component 10 of FIG. 1 before application of the first carbon layer 16.

[0032] FIG. 3 shows a graph which indicates mechanical-technological properties with respect of adhesion and hardness of layer systems 14 which can be employed for the present invention. Thus, for example, the first carbon layer 16 (see FIG. 1) can be doped with at least one metal, for example copper (Cu), and/or at least one nonmetal, for example silicon (Si), in order to be able to modify the properties of the layer 14 according to requirements and the particular use.

[0033] FIG. 4 shows a graph which indicates the coefficient of friction in a ball-on-disc tribometer of various carbon layers which can be employed for a layer system 14 as per FIGS. 1 and 2 for the present invention, i.e. oils (X axis) are altered in order to be able to evaluate the influence on the friction behavior of the respective carbon layer. Depending on the particular use of the component 10 (see FIG. 1) and the stress to which it is subjected during operation, it is thus possible to select a layer which then satisfies the desired tribological properties for the component 10.

[0034] FIG. 5 shows a graph which indicates the degree of wear in the ball-on-disc tribometer of various carbon layers which can be employed for a layer system 14 as per FIGS. 1 and 2 for the present invention, i.e. oils (X axis) are altered here in order to be able to evaluate the influence on the wear behavior of the respective carbon layer. Here too, depending on the particular use of the component 10 (see FIG. 1) and the stress to which it is subjected during operation, it is possible to select a layer which then satisfies the desired tribological properties for the component 10.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0035] 10 Component [0036] 12 Surface [0037] 14 Layer system [0038] 16 Tetrahedral water-free amorphous first carbon layer, ta-C sp3-bonded carbon layer [0039] 18 Water-free amorphous second carbon layer; a-C sp2-bonded carbon layer [0040] 20 Bonding layer [0041] D Total layer thickness