Co-deposited composite coatings with a ceramic matrix destined for sliding pairs

Composite layers with electrolytic oxide coatings matrix on aluminium and its alloys or composite with its matrix are widely applied in production of machine parts destined for sliding pairings. These layers so far have been produced with a two-stages method, i.e. through anodizing and metallising. So produced layers have disadvantageous surface fractions of hard, abrasive acting aluminium oxide and plastic, friction softening metal. Only 1 unit of metal accrues in the friction surface for every 200 area units of aluminia, because there is metal in the pores of the oxide cells only. The new method elaborated by the author, named co-deposition, changes those proportions. The friction-softening metal is deposited through the entire oxide cells' volume, which changes significantly the useful properties of the composite layers. The results of metallographic and tribological investigations of layers produced with the two-stage method and the co-deposition method are presented in this paper.