Effects of DLC on Fatigue Properties of Eutectoid Steel

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) is an amorphous hard carbon, which has very high hardness, high resistivity, and dielectric optical properties. Economically and technologically attractive properties have drawn almost unparalleled interest towards the coatings. Eutectoid steel is a kind of material that has been widely used in shafts and various kinds of industrial components. Three kinds of fatigue specimens with different DLC conditions were used in this study. Fatigue test had been performed to investigate the effects of DLC on fatigue properties of eutectoid steel. The fractography was analyzed by a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and surface hardness was also evaluated. The fatigue limits of the DLC coated specimens did notincrease after DLC process, though the compressive residual stress which produced by DLC process can prevent fatigue fracture. According to the results of fatigue test, the optimal DLC method for improving the fatigue properties of eutectoid steel is determined and the relationship between fatigue limits and coating bias are obtained.