Protective coatings for complex organic flexible materials II: Improvement of tribological performance of three different rubbers by deposition of TiO₂ and ZnO films by magnetron sputtering

Authors

Tiss B., Martínez-Martínez D., Mansilla C., Gomes J.R., Abreu C.S., Pereira N., Cunha L.

Reference

Tribology International, vol. 212, art. no. 110974, 2025

Description

Cork and rubber are prized for their thermal and acoustic insulation, but sunlight exposure can lead to ageing. This can be mitigated by UV-filter coatings like TiO₂ and ZnO, though their performance against mechanical wear remains unexplored. Three rubber substrates, differing in roughness, shape, and color, were coated with dense amorphous TiO₂ films and nanocolumnar ZnO films. Tribological tests revealed the friction coefficient (CoF) depends on rubber type, influenced by film thickness and substrate roughness. Coated substrates showed lower CoF and improved wear resistance compared to uncoated ones. ZnO coatings, especially thicker ones on low roughness substrates, exhibited the lowest CoF. Strong adhesion was indicated by residue after testing and stretching, suggesting enhanced tribological performance and broader applications.

Link

doi:10.1016/j.triboint.2025.110974