Thermal Effects on the Lifetime of Functionalized Nitrile Butadiene Rubber

Lubricants are commonly utilized to reduce the wear of rubber components. The high demand for cost-effective and sustainable alternatives drives the development of alternatives solutions. Functionalizing rubber surfaces by deposition of amorphous diamond-like carbon (DLC) tends to be a promising approach. The friction and wear behavior depends on the substrate properties and the environmental conditions. Rubber components being applied in tribological set-ups are often exposed to high temperatures. The change in temperature affects the physical properties of the rubbery material and the DLC coating. In this work, we investigate the thermal effects on the durability of DLC coated rubber plates. Nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) is used as substrate material. The mechanical properties of the substrate and the DLC coating are examined in the shed of elevated temperatures. Subsequently, durability studies are performed. The nominal and real contact area are subject of studies.