Importance

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Abstract

A method involves the coating of a metallic substrate with a blasting medium through sandblasting or equivalent techniques. The blasting medium is preferably a powder made of silicon nitride (or other ceramic or engineering materials). The sandblasting process allows the silicon nitride powder to form a loosely packed layer on the substrate. With additional treatment via rolling and/or sliding action against a secondary body in the presence of a liquid lubricant, the loosely packed particle layer turns into a flattened surface matrix consisting of particle clusters and irregular cavities. The silicon nitride particles are spontaneously attached to the substrate surface without the use of an adhesive agent which subsequently leads to the formation of a surface matrix exhibiting a chaotic hybrid topography with zero tensile stress when subjected to rolling/sliding contact pressure. This cluster-cavity matrix can evolve continuously (thus dynamic) and is immune to debris indentation from dirty lubricants. It is a complex, self organizing, and adaptive system. The practical value of this invention is to greatly enhance the fatigue and wear life of the bearing substrate and other objects coming into contact with the treated substrate.

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First Claim