Wear Properties of PTFE and C3F6 Polymer Coated Carbon Steel Using RF Low-Pressure Plasma

In this study, the surface of AISI 1050 carbon steel has been heat treated with different treatment parameters (fully softened, tempered) and a mechanical surface process (shot peening). Heat treated AISI 1050 carbon steel was coated in an RF vacuum plasma system with different plasma parameters (power, pressure, treatment time and type of gas). Two different coating processes were used: plasma grafting of sprayed polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) using argon and helium plasma and thin-layer deposition by hexafluoropropene (C3F6) plasma. The abrasion of coated surfaces was tested. After wear tests, surface morphology was analysed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and optical microscope (OM). PTFE coating processes were found to be superior to C3F6 plasma processes.