Seizure Strength Improvement for Phosphate-Stearate Coatings Involved in Cold Forging of Steel

Abstract

A seizure test particularly well suited to evaluate the mechanical strength of phosphate-stearate coatings has been developed. Test results, including tangential friction force and time at the onset of seizure, are related to the effective phosphate bonding and to lubricant reactive effects. It is shown that seizure is delayed if the phosphate coating is annealed at 500°C just before soaping. The γ-Zn3 (PO4)2 formation which occurs with a decrease in volume induces cracking along hopeite needles and causes an increase in reactive surface for soaping and, therefore, an increase in the quantity of zinc phosphate converted into zinc stearate. Improvement of the phosphate coating by annealing at 500°C before soaping may be an attractive alternative to the use of molybdenum disulfide lubricants.