PTFE coatings were deposited on YT15 carbide substrates using spray technology. A series of examinations were conducted, including the use of surface and cross-section micrographs to analyze the structural integrity of the coatings. The surface roughness, the adhesion force between the PTFE coatings and the carbide substrate, and the micro-hardness of the coated carbide were also evaluated. Additionally, the friction and wear behaviors were assessed through dry sliding friction tests against WC/Co balls. The test results indicated that while the PTFE-coated carbide exhibited a rougher surface and reduced micro-hardness, it also demonstrated a significant reduction in surface friction and adhesive wear. These findings suggest that the PTFE coatings enhance the overall wear resistance of the carbides. The lower surface hardness and shear strength of the coatings influenced the friction performance, leading to specific wear failure mechanisms, such as abrasion wear, coating delamination, and flaking. Overall, the deposition of PTFE coatings on carbide substrates presents a promising strategy to enhance their friction and wear performance. This approach not only improves the durability of carbide materials but also offers potential applications in industries where reduced friction and wear are critical for performance.

To improve the tribological properties of pure MoS₂ coating, the MoS₂–Zr composite lubricating coatings were prepared on the WC/TiC/Co carbide surface utilizing radio frequency magnetron sputtering method combining with multiple arc ion plating technology. The effects of different Zr target currents on the surface morphologies, roughness, Zr content, adhesive force, thickness, microhardness and tribological behaviors of the composite coatings were systematically investigated. Results showed that the properties of MoS₂ coating can be remarkably enhanced through co-deposition of a certain amount of Zr. As the Zr target current increased, the Zr content, surface roughness, thickness, and micro-hardness gradually increased, while the adhesive force of coatings increased first and then decreased. The friction behaviors and wear modes of the composite coatings both varied obviously with the increase of Zr current. The mechanism was mainly attributed to the different components and mechanical properties of the coatings caused by various Zr current.

The properties of the MoS₂/Zr coatings can be significantly affected by the deposition temperature. In this study, the MoS₂/Zr composite coatings were fabricated on the cemented carbide surface, utilizing the duplex deposition technology at various deposition temperatures. The effects of deposition temperature on the mechanical and friction properties of the MoS₂/Zr coatings were systematically studied. Results exhibited that as the deposition temperature increased, the adhesion force increased first and then decreased, and the coating thickness and micro-hardness gradually increased. Dry sliding tests against a hardened steel ring showed that the tribological behaviors and wear mechanisms of the MoS₂/Zr coatings varied with deposition temperature, which were due to the changing mechanical properties of coatings caused by the temperature. The coatings deposited at a temperature of 180 °C and 200 °C possessed preferable comprehensive mechanical and tribological properties.

In order to enhance the tribological performance of YT14 carbide, pure Zr coating was deposited on the substrate surface using a multi-arc ion plating method. The surface topography, adhesion strength, thickness, and micro-hardness of the Zr coating were tested. Dry sliding friction experiments against a 40Cr hardened steel ring were conducted with Zr-coated carbides and traditional ones. The average coefficients of friction were measured and compared. The wear characteristics of the samples were examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). The test results indicated that the Zr coating deposited on the carbide surface exhibited excellent adhesive strength and lower hardness. The average friction coefficient of Zr coated carbide decreased by 20%–30% in comparison with that of the uncoated one. The Zr coated carbide could reduce the adhesive wear compared with the uncoated one, and the main tribological degradation mechanisms of the coating were abrasive wear, coating flaking and delamination.