Effect of Substrate Heat Treatment on the Tribological Performance of $MoS_{2}$+Ni and DLC Coatings Deposited on Tool Steels

<title>Abstract</title> <p>Tool steels employed in plastic injection molds and forming tools are continuously exposed to severe tribological conditions involving friction, wear, cyclic loading, and adhesive interactions(Funazuka et al. 2022) (Liu et al. 2026) (X. Wang et al. 2022). These phenomena promote surface degradation, dimensional inaccuracies, and premature tool failure, generating significant economic losses in manufacturing industries. Consequently, surface engineering techniques have become essential for improving the service life and reliability of tooling components. (Barba et al. 2024; Lijun Wang et al. 2022; Zia 2025)</p>