Renewable Cr2O3 Nanolayer on Cr(W)N Surface for Seizure Prevention at Elevated Temperatures

Chromium nitride coating is now the norm for improving the wear resistance of high-performance mechanical components. Even so, to prevent the seizure issue between the contacting interfaces, the prerequisites are oil or solid lubricants which would however lose the lubricating functionality at elevated temperatures due to breakdown or degradation. In this research, we utilize a Cr₂O₃ nanolayer formed on modified Cr(W)N coating to prevent the adhesive seizure for steel-based components. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses show that the chromium oxide can be generated at 200-400 °C. At 400 °C, the Cr₂O₃ nanolayer is in situ formed and maintains a consistent thickness of 2.2 nm due to the oxide renewal during the heating-sliding operation. The in situ, renewable oxide nanolayer provides a novel approach to the technically unsolved seizure problem occurring in high-performance machines operated at elevated temperatures.