Abstract: Disclosed is a piston ring comprising a supporting material and a wear-resistant coating. The wear-resistant coating is composed of a ternary system A-B—N which is applied using a PVD process and in which A and B each represent an element form the group encompassing Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo W, Al, Si and C, wherein A ?B and N represents nitrogen. The thickness of the wear-resistant coating amounts to ?3 ?m.

Abstract: The invention relates to a piston ring which is produced from a carrier material, especially steel or a cast material. The piston ring has a wear-resistant coating from a periodic multilayer system, every periodicity consisting of at least two individual metal nitride layers. The multilayer system has superlattice structures, the thickness of an individual layer being ?2 nm to <15 nm and the thickness of the multilayer system being >4.5 ?m and adjacent individual layers within the periodicity having different metallic elements.

Abstract: The invention relates to a piston ring which is produced from a carrier material, especially steel or a cast material. The piston ring has a wear-resistant coating from a periodic multilayer system, every periodicity consisting of at least two individual metal nitride layers. Adjacent individual layers within the periodicity have different metallic elements. The thickness of an individual layer is ?15 nm.

Abstract: A sliding element comprises at least one surface for sliding contact with a running face, wherein a wear layer and a run-in layer made from carbon are applied to the surface, and is characterized in that the run-in layer comprises hydrogen and nanocrystalline carbide phases. In a method for manufacturing a sliding element, the run-in layer is applied by means of a PVD process. A sliding system has an above-described sliding element and a body having a running face. A coating for a sliding element comprises a wear layer which can be applied to the upper side of the sliding element, and a run-in layer which is configured as a carbon layer, and is characterized in that the run-in layer comprises hydrogen and nanocrystalline carbide phases.