TiB2 Nanostructured Coating for GFRP Injection Moulds

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2011

Authors

Martinho, RP (Author) Other; Silva, FJG (Author) Other; Alexandre, RJD (Author) Other; Baptista, APM (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Vol. 11

Pages: 5374-5382

ISSN: 1533-4880

Publisher: American Scientific Publishers

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 4 Citations

Scopus - 4 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Materials engineering

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-002-QRM

DOI: 10.1166/jnn.2011.3772

Abstract (EN): In the injection moulding of polypropylene reinforced with hard glass fibres, die materials are commonly subjected to severe abrasive wear. In order to improve its wear resistance, an unbalanced magnetron sputtering PVD compositional monolayered coating has been produced. The film was composed by a nanostructured TiB2 monolayer. Microstructure characterization and thickness evaluation were conducted by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Film topography and roughness were accessed by SEM and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The phase analyse was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), using Cu K alpha radiation. Scratch tests were conducted in order to study the film adhesion to the substrate. Load Displacement curves (nanoindentation analysis) allowed measuring the film hardness and Young's modulus. A ball-cratering tribometer was used to determine the micro-abrasion laboratorial wear resistance, under different tests conditions, using SiC particles in distilled water slurry. At the end of these tests, the worn surfaces were analyzed by SEM and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) in order to compare these results with some other coatings already tested in the same conditions. To test the practical wear resistance, 135000 injection cycles were done in a plastic injection industrial mould. Coated samples were put on the plastic feed canal, after a turbulent zone. In these tests, a 30%(wt) glass fibres reinforced polypropylene was used. Worn sample surfaces were analyzed by SEM after 45.000 and 90.000 cycles. Image analyses were made in order to evaluate the damage increases and to observe the wear mechanisms involved.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 9