Sliding element for internal combustion engines

A method for coating a sliding element for an internal combustion engines comprising applying a coating on an annular external surface of a base material via physical vapor deposition by cathodic arc under a condition of pressure from 0.001 mbar to 0.2 mbar, with a cathode current of 40 A to 100 A, a flow of an argon gas from 50 sccm to 200 sccm, a polarization voltage from 30 V to 45 V, and a temperature from 150° C. to 240° C.

An internal combustion engine comprising at least one sliding element including a base material having an annular external surface upon which a bonding layer and a sliding layer are sequentially deposited, the sliding layer composed of hard amorphous carbon of a combined matrix with sp3/sp2 bonds, wherein the sliding layer includes a plurality of nanoparticles of graphite incorporated within the combined matrix of sp3/sp2.

The internal combustion engine as claimed 16, further comprising an intermediate layer disposed between the bonding layer and the sliding layer, wherein the intermediate layer is composed of a ceramic material.

The internal combustion engine as claimed 16, wherein the sliding layer has a thickness from 3 micrometers to 35 micrometers.

The internal combustion engine as claimed 16, wherein the sliding layer has a hardness from 15 GPa to 50 GPa.