Enhancement of tribological properties of 9Cr18 stainless steel by dual Mo and S Co implantation

Mo and S ions were simultaneously implanted into 9Cr18 stainless steel samples. The frictional properties of the implanted samples were assessed using a pin-on-disk tester and the elemental depth profiles were measured by Auger electron spectroscopy. The hardness of the samples was also measured. We find that this dual-element implantation process reduces the coefficient of friction by a factor of 2 and increases the low-friction lifetime by a factor of 4 compared to the 9Cr18 surface with Mo or S implantation alone. This enhancement is related to the synergistic coexistence of the implanted elements at the same place. We have also investigated the process using computer simulation. The simulation results help disclose the characteristics of the modified layer and explain the effects of dual-element ion implantation.