Comportamento do desgaste e posterior corrosão do sistema duplex AISI 4140 nitretado/CrN em bioetanol combustível

Abstract

This work shows a study of the tribological and corrosive behaviour of AISI 4140 steel previously quenched and tempered, plasma nitrided and then coated with CrN thin film, in contact with hydrated ethanol fuel. The surface characterization was performed by means of RBS, SEM, XRD, linear microscratch and nanoindentation techniques. The friction coefficient was determined by ball-on-disc sliding wear tests, under different treatment conditions of the AISI 4140 steel (quenched and tempered, nitrided and duplex), as well as different lubrication conditions (dry, with ethanol, with a mixture of ethanol and lubricant oil and with lubricant oil). Wear rate was estimated with profilometry measurements on the wear tracks. Wear mechanisms were determined by SEM and EDS techniques in order to evaluate the microstructure and qualitative elemental composition of the worn out surfaces, and by Raman spectroscopy in order to determine the type of chemical compounds. Corrosion was evaluated by immersion tests in accordance with NBR 8265, before and after the wear tests. AISI 4140 steel with duplex treatment (nitrided/CrN) tested in lubricant oil displayed the lowest values of friction coefficient and wear rate. This behaviour is associated with the formation of a chromium oxide tribofilm, with high ionic potential, originated from the interaction of the CrN film and oil in sliding contact. The material treated in the duplex condition showed a higher corrosion resistance than AISI 4140 steel after heat treatment or plasma nitriding process.