{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T05:02:57Z","timestamp":1787029377021,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":55,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"21","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,5]],"date-time":"2022-11-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1667606400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Republic of Slovenia and the European Union","award":["OP20-04332"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["OP20-04332"]}]},{"name":"Republic of Slovenia and the European Union","award":["P2-0063"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["P2-0063"]}]},{"name":"Republic of Slovenia and the European Union","award":["P2-0120"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["P2-0120"]}]},{"name":"Slovenian Research Agency","award":["OP20-04332"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["OP20-04332"]}]},{"name":"Slovenian Research Agency","award":["P2-0063"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["P2-0063"]}]},{"name":"Slovenian Research Agency","award":["P2-0120"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["P2-0120"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Polymers"],"abstract":"<jats:p>A comprehensive experimental investigation of the wear behaviour of coated spur polymer gears made of POM is performed in this study. Three different thicknesses of aluminium (Al) coatings were investigated and deposited by the Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) process. The Al coating was deposited in three steps: By plasma activation, metallisation of the aluminium by the magnetron sputtering process, and plasma polymerisation. The wear of the gears was tested on an in-house developed testing rig for different torques (16, 20, and 24 Nm) and a rotational speed of 1000 rpm. The duration of the experiments was set to 13 h, when the tooth thickness and, consequently, the wear of the tooth flank were recorded. The experimental results showed that the influence of metallisation with aluminium surface coatings on the wear behaviour of the analysed polymer gear is not significantly important. The results also showed that the gears with a thicker aluminium coating showed greater wear than gears with a thinner coating or even without a coating. This is probably due to the fact that the aluminium particles that started to deviate during gear operation represented the abrasive material, which led to the faster wear of the contacting surfaces of the meshing gear flanks.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/polym14214751","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,7]],"date-time":"2022-11-07T03:02:22Z","timestamp":1667790142000},"page":"4751","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":13,"title":["Wear Behaviour of Multilayer Al-PVD-Coated Polymer Gears"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Tonica","family":"Bon\u010dina","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maribor, Smetanova 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Brigita","family":"Polanec","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maribor, Smetanova 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9402-2854","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Franc","family":"Zupani\u010d","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maribor, Smetanova 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4273-7265","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sre\u010dko","family":"Glode\u017e","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maribor, Smetanova 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"104496","DOI":"10.1016\/j.engfailanal.2020.104496","article-title":"Experimental Failure Analysis of S-Polymer Gears","volume":"111","author":"Trobentar","year":"2020","journal-title":"Eng. Fail. Anal."},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"203944","article-title":"Wear-Coefficient Analyses for Polymer-Gear Life-Time Predictions: A Critical Appraisal of Methodologies","volume":"480\u2013481","author":"Kalin","year":"2021","journal-title":"Wear"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106994","DOI":"10.1016\/j.polymertesting.2020.106994","article-title":"An Investigation on the Potential of Bio-Based Polymers for Use in Polymer Gear Transmissions","volume":"93","author":"Zorko","year":"2021","journal-title":"Polym. Test."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"403","DOI":"10.1016\/j.polymertesting.2016.12.031","article-title":"Gear Fatigue Life and Thermomechanical Behavior of Novel Green and Bio-Composite Materials vs. High-Performance Thermoplastics","volume":"66","author":"Bravo","year":"2018","journal-title":"Polym. Test."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gnatowski, A., Go\u0142\u0119bski, R., and Sikora, P. (2020). Analysis of the Impact of Changes in Thermomechanical Properties of Polymer Materials on the Machining Process of Gears. Polymers, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/polym13010028"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"He, X., and Wu, W. (2021). A Practical Numerical Approach to Characterising Non-Linear Shrinkage and Optimising Dimensional Deviation of Injection-Molded Small Module Plastic Gears. Polymers, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/polym13132092"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"56","DOI":"10.1016\/j.polymertesting.2005.09.005","article-title":"Damping Characteristics of Unreinforced, Glass and Carbon Fiber Reinforced Nylon 6\/6 Spur Gears","volume":"25","author":"Senthilvelan","year":"2006","journal-title":"Polym. Test."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"210","DOI":"10.1177\/1350650117711595","article-title":"Polymer Spur Gears Behaviors under Different Loading Conditions: A Review","volume":"232","author":"Singh","year":"2018","journal-title":"Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng. Part J J. Eng. Tribol."},{"key":"ref_9","first-page":"3","article-title":"Polymer Composites for Tribological Applications","volume":"1","author":"Friedrich","year":"2018","journal-title":"Adv. Ind. Eng. Polym. Res."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"825","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mechmachtheory.2019.07.001","article-title":"Durability and Design Parameters of a Steel\/PEEK Gear Pair","volume":"140","author":"Zorko","year":"2019","journal-title":"Mech. Mach. Theory"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105377","DOI":"10.1016\/j.engfailanal.2021.105377","article-title":"Durability Testing and Characterization of POM Gears","volume":"124","author":"Hribersek","year":"2021","journal-title":"Eng. Fail. Anal."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1321","DOI":"10.1016\/j.wear.2007.01.008","article-title":"A Numerical Method for Polymer Composite Gear Flash Temperature Prediction","volume":"262","author":"Mao","year":"2007","journal-title":"Wear"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"379","DOI":"10.1016\/j.triboint.2016.01.052","article-title":"Efficiency and Running Temperature of a Polymer\u2013Steel Spur Gear Pair from Slip\/Roll Ratio Fundamentals","volume":"97","author":"Evans","year":"2016","journal-title":"Tribol. Int."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"01029","DOI":"10.1051\/matecconf\/20179001029","article-title":"A Review on Failure Characteristics of Polymer Gear","volume":"90","author":"Sofian","year":"2017","journal-title":"MATEC Web Conf."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"961","DOI":"10.1016\/j.matdes.2014.10.016","article-title":"An Accelerated Multilevel Test and Design Procedure for Polymer Gears","volume":"65","year":"2015","journal-title":"Mater. Des."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106323","DOI":"10.1016\/j.polymertesting.2019.106323","article-title":"A New Method for Testing Polymer Gear Wear Rate and Performance","volume":"82","author":"Mao","year":"2020","journal-title":"Polym. Test."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1146","DOI":"10.1016\/j.triboint.2009.03.009","article-title":"Study on Development of Polyamide Gears for Improvement of Load-Carrying Capacity","volume":"42","year":"2009","journal-title":"Tribol. Int."},{"key":"ref_18","unstructured":"(2019). Calculation of Load Capacity of Spur and Helical Gears. Standard No. ISO 6336."},{"key":"ref_19","unstructured":"(2019). Thermoplastic Gear Wheels, German Standard. Standard No. VDI 2736."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"113","DOI":"10.1016\/j.engfailanal.2015.08.040","article-title":"Life and Damage Mode Modeling Applied to Plastic Gears","volume":"58","author":"Bravo","year":"2015","journal-title":"Eng. Fail. Anal."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"987251","DOI":"10.1155\/2013\/987251","article-title":"Lubrication Regimes in High-Performance Polymer Spur Gears","volume":"2013","author":"Dearn","year":"2013","journal-title":"Adv. Tribol."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"538","DOI":"10.1007\/s40544-020-0362-7","article-title":"Examination on the Wear Process of Polyformaldehyde Gears under Dry and Lubricated Conditions","volume":"9","author":"Yu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Friction"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"264","DOI":"10.1016\/j.triboint.2017.10.007","article-title":"An Investigation on the Thermal and Wear Behavior of Polymer Based Spur Gears","volume":"118","author":"Singh","year":"2018","journal-title":"Tribol. Int."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2176","DOI":"10.1016\/j.wear.2010.11.019","article-title":"An Investigation on the Wear Behaviour of Dissimilar Polymer Gear Engagements","volume":"271","author":"Li","year":"2011","journal-title":"Wear"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"356","DOI":"10.1016\/j.wear.2019.03.027","article-title":"Wear Mechanisms in Polyoxymethylene Spur Gears","volume":"428\u2013429","author":"Evans","year":"2019","journal-title":"Wear"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"205","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijmecsci.2007.07.002","article-title":"Dynamic Interaction between Contact Loads and Tooth Wear of Engaged Plastic Gear Pairs","volume":"50","author":"Lin","year":"2008","journal-title":"Int. J. Mech. Sci."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"822","DOI":"10.1016\/j.wear.2015.01.084","article-title":"The Wear and Thermal Mechanical Contact Behaviour of Machine Cut Polymer Gears","volume":"332\u2013333","author":"Mao","year":"2015","journal-title":"Wear"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"50245","DOI":"10.1002\/app.50245","article-title":"An Investigation on Wear Behavior of UHMWPE\/Carbide Composites at Elevated Temperatures","volume":"138","author":"Sert","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Appl. Polym. Sci."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109912","DOI":"10.1016\/j.polymdegradstab.2022.109912","article-title":"Wear Behavior of UHMWPE Composites under Oxidative Effect","volume":"199","year":"2022","journal-title":"Polym. Degrad. Stab."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.1016\/j.wear.2013.09.014","article-title":"The Wear of PEEK in Rolling\u2013Sliding Contact\u2013Simulation of Polymer Gear Applications","volume":"309","author":"Hoskins","year":"2014","journal-title":"Wear"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"117","DOI":"10.1007\/s40544-017-0193-3","article-title":"Tribological Behavior of Coated Spur Gear Pairs with Tooth Surface Roughness","volume":"7","author":"Liu","year":"2019","journal-title":"Friction"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"99","DOI":"10.1016\/j.wear.2012.11.003","article-title":"Applications of Dry Film Lubricants for Polymer Gears","volume":"298\u2013299","author":"Dearn","year":"2013","journal-title":"Wear"},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"203965","DOI":"10.1016\/j.wear.2021.203965","article-title":"Leveraging Trace Nanofillers to Engineer Ultra-Low Wear Polymer Surfaces","volume":"482\u2013483","author":"Alam","year":"2021","journal-title":"Wear"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"19417","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.jpcc.1c03885","article-title":"Ultralow Wear Poly(Tetrafluoroethylene): A Virtuous Cycle of Wear Reduction and Tribochemical Accumulation","volume":"125","author":"Alam","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Phys. Chem. C"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1169","DOI":"10.1007\/s40544-020-0363-6","article-title":"Effect of Friction on the Contact Stress of a Coated Polymer Gear","volume":"8","author":"Bae","year":"2020","journal-title":"Friction"},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"517","DOI":"10.17222\/mit.2015.056","article-title":"The Influence of Surface Coatings on the Tooth Tip Deflection of Polymer Gears","volume":"50","author":"Trobentar","year":"2016","journal-title":"Mater. Tehnol."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Baptista, A., Silva, F., Porteiro, J., M\u00edguez, J., and Pinto, G. (2018). Sputtering Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) Coatings: A Critical Review on Process Improvement and Market Trend Demands. Coatings, 8.","DOI":"10.3390\/coatings8110402"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Baptista, A., Pinto, G., Silva, F.J.G., Ferreira, A.A., Pinto, A.G., and Sousa, V.F.C. (2021). Wear Characterization of Chromium PVD Coatings on Polymeric Substrate for Automotive Optical Components. Coatings, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/coatings11050555"},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ferreira, A.A., Silva, F.J.G., Pinto, A.G., and Sousa, V.F.C. (2021). Characterization of Thin Chromium Coatings Produced by PVD Sputtering for Optical Applications. Coatings, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/coatings11020215"},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109850","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vacuum.2020.109850","article-title":"A Systematic Study of \u03b2-Type Ti-Based PVD Coatings on Magnesium for Biomedical Application","volume":"183","author":"Zarka","year":"2021","journal-title":"Vacuum"},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"250","DOI":"10.1016\/j.procir.2020.05.149","article-title":"Development and Application of Physical Vapor Deposited Coatings for Medical Devices: A Review","volume":"89","author":"Geyao","year":"2020","journal-title":"Procedia CIRP"},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"141","DOI":"10.1016\/j.surfcoat.2005.02.038","article-title":"Deposition of CrN Coatings by PVD Methods for Mechanical Application","volume":"200","author":"Pradhan","year":"2005","journal-title":"Surf. Coatings Technol."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"155510","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jallcom.2020.155510","article-title":"Achievements in Mid and High-Temperature Selective Absorber Coatings by Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) for Solar Thermal Application-A Review","volume":"839","author":"Bello","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Alloys Compd."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"396","DOI":"10.1016\/j.surfcoat.2018.01.052","article-title":"Investigation of Cr(N)\/DLC Multilayer Coatings Elaborated by PVD for High Wear Resistance and Low Friction Applications","volume":"337","author":"Duminica","year":"2018","journal-title":"Surf. Coatings Technol."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sousa, V.F.C., and Silva, F.J.G. (2020). Recent Advances on Coated Milling Tool Technology\u2014A Comprehensive Review. Coatings, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/coatings10030235"},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sousa, V.F.C., and Silva, F.J.G. (2020). Recent Advances in Turning Processes Using Coated Tools\u2014A Comprehensive Review. Metals, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/met10020170"},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sousa, V.F.C., Da Silva, F.J.G., Pinto, G.F., Baptista, A., and Alexandre, R. (2021). Characteristics and Wear Mechanisms of TiAlN-Based Coatings for Machining Applications: A Comprehensive Review. Metals, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/met11020260"},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"254","DOI":"10.1016\/j.proeng.2016.06.612","article-title":"Metal Release of Multilayer Coatings by Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD)","volume":"148","author":"Ahmad","year":"2016","journal-title":"Procedia Eng."},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"937","DOI":"10.1016\/j.wear.2013.01.045","article-title":"Erosion Resistant Titanium Based PVD Coatings on CFRP","volume":"302","author":"Maurer","year":"2013","journal-title":"Wear"},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"129187","DOI":"10.1016\/j.matlet.2020.129187","article-title":"Role of Surface Finishing and Interfacial Lacquer Layer on Particle Erosion Mechanisms of Ti\/TiN Multilayer PVD Coatings for Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer Substrates Protection","volume":"285","author":"Coto","year":"2021","journal-title":"Mater. Lett."},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"786","DOI":"10.1007\/s11665-013-0806-6","article-title":"Adhesion of Sputtered Nickel Films on Polycarbonate Substrates","volume":"23","author":"Qian","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Mater. Eng. Perform."},{"key":"ref_52","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Polanec, B., Zupani\u010d, F., Bon\u010dina, T., Ta\u0161ner, F., and Glode\u017e, S. (2021). Experimental Investigation of the Wear Behaviour of Coated Polymer Gears. Polymers, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/polym13203588"},{"key":"ref_53","unstructured":"(2022, October 01). Faigle Material Datasheet, Material: PAS-L. Available online: https:\/\/www.faigle.com\/en\/materials?material=pas-l&pdf."},{"key":"ref_54","unstructured":"(2022). Standard Test Method for Adhesion Strength and Mechanical Failure Modes of Ceramic Coatings by Quantitative Single Point Scratch Testing. Standard No. ASTM C1624."},{"key":"ref_55","unstructured":"(2016). Determination of Adhesion of Ceramic Coatings by Scratch Testing (ISO 20502:2005 Including Cor 1:2009). Standard No. EN ISO 20502."}],"container-title":["Polymers"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2073-4360\/14\/21\/4751\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T01:11:11Z","timestamp":1760145071000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2073-4360\/14\/21\/4751"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,5]]},"references-count":55,"journal-issue":{"issue":"21","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,11]]}},"alternative-id":["polym14214751"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/polym14214751","relation":{},"ISSN":["2073-4360"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2073-4360","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,5]]}}}