9361034 Buchholtz Improving the wear-endurance-lifetimes of sputtered MoS2 on Titanium (Ti) alloys represents an enabling technology for these alloys. Colorado Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL) proposes to pretreat Ti-6A1-4V surfaces by elevated-temperature-ion- implantation and reactive-ion-beam-sputter-deposition to produce ceramic surface layers, which will significantly (i.e., 2 orders of magnitude) improve the wear-endurance-lifetimes of sputtered MoS2. Ceramic layers that exhibit a range of electronic (band gap) properties will be formed on Ti-6A1-4V substrate surfaces. Pretreated substrate surfaces will be characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to establish the binding energies/chemical states of elements important in the bonding process. Scratch adhesion tests on the MoS2/pretreated substrates will be performed to establish the three best pretreatments. Wear-endurance-lifetimes tests will then be performed, in an argon atmosphere, on specimens exhibiting the greatest adhesion. Correlations of ceramic electronic properties with MoS2 tribological performance will be made. Preparation of pretreated substrates and mechanism gears for commercial coating vendors to apply their specific tribo-coatings is a viable product. Increased use of Ti gearing in mechanisms and transmissions will result in reduced weight of space and terrestrial vehicles and increased fuel efficiency. ***
