PuzzleCoat
Low friction puzzle-like surfaces based on the laser texturing of TMD sputtered coatings
Challenge
Developing high-performance solid lubricants presents a fundamental paradox: the materials required for low friction (TMDs) lack the mechanical strength necessary for wear resistance. While alloying TMDs into "hard" matrices improves durability, it creates a high activation barrier for "self-adaptation," requiring intense contact stress to trigger lubricity. This results in two critical failures: extremely long running-in periods and a total lack of lubrication in low-stress applications, such as rubber contacts. The central challenge is to engineer a coating that provides instantaneous, low-friction performance across all contact conditions without compromising its structural load-bearing capacity.
Solution
The main objective of this project is to develop laser-patterned, self-lubricating TMD coatings capable of minimizing friction and wear across diverse contact conditions, specifically targeting low-stress interfaces with soft materials like rubber and polymers. By leveraging localized laser-induced crystallization, the project aims to bypass the traditional activation barriers of hard-matrix coatings, providing instantaneous lubricity while maintaining structural integrity. This interdisciplinary approach seeks to optimize the laser-material interaction to prevent undesirable oxidation, ultimately creating a "puzzle-structured" surface that addresses the need for shorter running-in time.
Objectives, Activities and Results expected / achieved
The project expects to deliver a novel generation of "puzzle-structured" coatings that achieve a synergistic balance between high load-bearing capacity and immediate lubricity. By optimizing laser-induced crystallization, the research aims to produce surfaces where pre-defined TMD zones ensure low friction from the onset of contact, effectively eliminating the long running-in periods typical of hardened alloys. Furthermore, the results should demonstrate a significant breakthrough in low-stress tribology, enabling effective solid lubrication in soft-material contacts (e.g., polymers and rubber) where traditional self-adaptation fails. Ultimately, these coatings are expected to contribute to global energy efficiency by providing a scalable, environmentally compliant alternative to liquid lubricants.
Project Reference
COMPETE2030-FEDER-00796400Funding
Intervention Region
PortugalTotal Investment
249.696,00IPN Investment
120.096,00Total Eligible
249.696,00IPN Eligible
120.096,00EC Funding – Total
212.241,60EC Funding – IPN
102.081,60National public financial support – Total
37.454,40National public financial support – IPN
18.014,40Duration
36 MonthsStart Date
2025-01-01End Date
2027-12-31Approval Date
2025-09-02Consortium
Universidade de CoimbraInstituto Pedro Nunes
Keywords
Coatings;Low friction;
TMDs;
Textured surface.
