Evaluation of the friction of WC/DLC solid lubricating films in vacuum

The accuracy of nanopositioning is to a large extent limited by the friction-caused errors, particularly in vacuum environments. An investigation of the friction behaviour of sp²-bonds dominating diamond like carbon (DLC) coatings and WC_1−x/DLC, WC(N)/DLC multilayer coatings, which are considered to be used in nanopositioning in vacuum, have been performed by a vacuum microtribometer. By using an atomically smooth Si sphere as a counterface, the reciprocating sliding friction was measured at a normal load <5 mN, and running speed at a 1–100 μm/s in ambient air and in ultra high vacuum (UHV) at 10⁻⁷ Pa, and correlated with microstructures and properties of the coatings. When tested in UHV, the coefficient of friction (COF) for pure DLC coatings (thickness: 700 nm) changes significantly between 0.2 and 0.4. Once the thickness of DLC layers is limited to 5 nm by formation of multilayer coatings, the COF in UHV decreases by nearly one order to 0.02–0.05. We suggest that the deformation of DLC films and the transfer films determines COF. Thick DLC coatings can induce more plastic deformation and consumes more energy in sliding resulting in a high COF. Thickening of the transfer film in running leads to a continuous decrease of COF since the deformation of the transfer films turns easier. The low COF of multilayer coatings is mainly due to their confinement of the thickness of DLC films. A consistent velocity-strengthening frictional behaviour of both WC_1−x/DLC and WC(N)/DLC coatings in UHV indicates that the transfer films acting as a thin layer of granular material. Further study of the friction behaviour with the presence of such granular materials might be interesting for the further development of tribological coatings for vacuum applications.     

Environmental Effects on the Tribology and Microstructure of MoS<Subscript>2</Subscript>–Sb<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>–C Films

The tribology of molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂)–Sb₂O₃–C films was tested under a variety of environmental conditions (ambient 50% RH, 10⁻⁷ Torr vacuum, 150 Torr oxygen, and 8 Torr water) and correlated with the composition of the surface composition expressed while sliding. High friction and low friction modes of behavior were detected. The lowest coefficient of friction, 0.06, was achieved under vacuum, while sliding in 8 Torr water and ambient conditions both yielded the highest value of 0.15. Water vapor was determined to be the environmental species responsible for high friction performance. XPS evaluations revealed a preferential expression of MoS₂ at the surface of wear tracks produced under vacuum and an increase in Sb₂O₃ concentration in wear tracks produced in ambient air (50% RH). In addition, wear tracks produced by sliding in vacuum exhibited the lowest surface roughness as compared to those produced in other environments, consistent with the picture of low friction originating from well-ordered MoS₂ layers produced through sliding in vacuum.     

Ultralow Friction Behaviors of Hydrogenated Fullerene-Like Carbon Films: Effect of Normal Load and Surface Tribochemistry

Friction and wear behaviors of hydrogenated fullerene-like (H-FLC) carbon films sliding against Si₃N₄ ceramic balls were performed at different contact loads from 1 to 20 N on a reciprocating sliding tribometer in air. It was found that the films exhibited non-Amontonian friction behaviors, the coefficient of friction (COF) decreased with normal contact load increasing: the COF was ~0.112 at 1 N contact load, and deceased to ultralow value (~0.009) at 20 N load. The main mechanism responsible for low friction and wear under varying contact pressure is governed by hydrogenated carbon transfer film that formed and resided at the sliding interfaces. In addition, the unique fullerene-like structures induce well elastic property of the H-FLC films (elastic recovery 78%), which benefits the high load tolerance and induces the low wear rate in air condition. For the film with an ultralow COF of 0.009 tested under 20 N load in air, time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) signals collected inside and outside the wear tracks indicated the presence of C₂H₃ ⁻ and C₂H₅ ⁻ fragments after tribological tests on the H-FLC films surface. We think that the tribochemistry and elastic property of the H-FLC films is responsible for the observed friction behaviors, the high load tolerance, and chemical inertness of hydrogenated carbon-containing transfer films instead of the graphitization of transfer films is responsible for the steady-state low coefficients of friction, wear, and interfacial shear stress.     

Boundary Lubrication Properties of Nanoperiod Solid Lubricant Multilayer Films Composed of Diamond-Like Carbon and Gold Layers

To develop electroconductive and high-endurance solid lubricant nanoperiod multilayer (DLC/Au)_n films, diamond-like carbon (DLC) and gold layers were deposited while controlling the time the substrate was exposed graphite and gold targets. The electrical resistivity of the (DLC/Au)_n multilayer films was ~12.4 Ω cm. The hardness of the (DLC/Au)_n multilayer films was similar to that of DLC films and much higher than that of gold monolayer films. According to the results of oscillating sliding tests under water boundary lubrication and dry conditions, (DLC/Au)_n multilayer films exhibited the low friction coefficient, little damage, and high sliding durability than the monolayer films. (DLC/Au)_n films also have a lower friction coefficient and exhibit less damage than a Au monolayer under polyalphaolefin boundary lubrication.     

Lubrication of carbon coatings with MoS2 single sheet formed by MoDTC and ZDDP lubricants

The fuel economy and reduction of harmful elements of lubricants are becoming important issues in the automotive industry. One approach to these requirements is the potential use of low‐friction coatings in engine components exposed to boundary lubrication conditions. Diamond‐like carbon (DLC) coatings, extensively studied as ultra‐low friction films to protect ductile metals surfaces for space applications, are expected to fit the bill. The main purpose of this work is to investigate the friction and wear properties of DLC coatings lubricated with molybdenum dithiocarbamate (MoDTC) and zinc dithiophosphate (ZDDP) under boundary lubrication conditions. The mechanisms by which MoDTC reduces the friction in the centirange were studied using ultra‐high vacuum (UHV) analytical tribometer. The UHV friction tests were performed on a tribofilm previously formed on selected DLC material with MoDTC and ZDDP containing oil. Ex‐situ characterizations show that the composition of this tribofilm is similar to that of a tribofilm obtained on steel surfaces in the same lubrication conditions with MoS₂ single sheets dispersed inside zinc phosphate zones. However, analyses by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicate that MoDTC and ZDDP additives seem to be more active on steel surfaces than carbonaceous ones. After UHV friction with the tribofilm formed on selected DLC and steel pin counterpart, the wear scars of both sliding surfaces were characterized by in‐situ analytical tools such as Auger electron spectroscopy, scanning Auger microscopy and micro‐spot XPS. Low friction is associated with the transfer of a thin MoS₂ film to the steel pin counterpart. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

WC/DLC/WS2 nanocomposite coatings for aerospace tribology

Tribological properties of three-phase composite coatings consisting of nanocrystalline WC, amorphous diamond-like carbon (DLC), and nanocrystalline WS₂ are evaluated. The WC/DLC/WS₂ coatings have 0.5 μm thickness, 7–8 GPa hardness, excellent wear resistance, and low friction coefficients: 0.03 in vacuum, and 0.15 in air; with unique friction recovery in cycling between dry and moist environments. The benefits of carbide/dichalcogenide/DLC nanocomposites for aerospace tribology are highlighted. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Interfacial effect on thermal conductivity of diamond-like carbon films

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) has been of interest as a promising coating for protection and insulating layer in micro-electromechanical systems due to high hardness, wear resistance, transparency in IR range, chemical inertness and biocompatibility. The interfacial effect on thermal transport is studied for DLC films deposited on Al₂O₃ substrates with an ion gun method. Thermal conductivity of DLC thin films is measured with a 3ω method. DLC films show the thickness-dependent thermal conductivity, which is understood with the interfacial thermal resistance between DLC thin film and Al₂O₃ substrate. The interfacial thermal resistance and thermal conductivity of bulk DLC are determined with the measured thickness-dependent thermal conductivity of DLC films.     

Anomalous wear behavior of MoS2 films in moderate vacuum and dry nitrogen

440C steel thrust ball bearing races lubricated with 1 m thick sputtered films of MoS₂ were tested in the unidirectional and oscillatory modes against bare steel balls in moderate (10^–4–10^–5 Pa 10^–6–10^–7 Torr) vacuum and in 1 atmosphere of 99.999% pure ( 1 ppm water) N₂ in the same unbaked environmental chamber. Over 90% of the residual gases in the chamber vacuum consisted of H₂O vapor. The bearings operated in N₂ showed substantially longer lives compared to the specimens tested in vacuum. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) tribometry was also performed on an MoS₂ film powder-burnished onto a 440C flat. This flat was repeatedly oscillated against bare, hemispherical-tipped 440C pins on fresh wear tracks in the same type of N₂ and column vacuum of ~10^–3 Pa 10^–5 Torr itself containing over 90% residual H₂O. The SEM-generated results on the burnished film confirmed the same, atmosphere-dependent difference in wear life observed with the sputtered layers. Varying the moisture content of the burnished flat and its immediate environment by cryosorption predictably manipulated the coefficient of friction and wear life of MoS₂. The various possible causes of this perplexing phenomenon are reviewed, and a plausible hypothesis is offered attributing the unexpected wear life reduction to the physico-chemical consequences of residual H₂O hydrogen-bonding to the oxidized and/or hydrated edge and basal plane sites of MoS₂ in moderate vacuum. The site-specific sorption of water is severely hindered in 1 atm N₂ by the gas molecules disrupting the H-bonding mechanism.     

Study of tribological performance of ECR-CVD diamond-like carbon coatings on steel substrates: Part 1. The effect of processing parameters and operating conditions

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings were prepared on AISI 440C steel substrates at room temperature by electron cyclotron resonance chemical vapor deposition (ECR-CVD) process in C₂H₂/Ar plasma. Using the designed Ti/TiN/TiCN/TiC interfacial transition layers, relatively thick DLC coatings (1-2 μm) were successfully prepared on the steel substrates. The friction and wear performance of the DLC coatings was evaluated by ball-on-disk tribometry using a steel counterbody at various normal loads (1-10 N) and sliding speeds (2-15 cm/s). By optimizing the deposition parameters such as negative bias voltage, DLC coatings with hardness up to 30 GPa and friction coefficients lower than 0.15 against the 100Cr6 steel ball could be obtained. The friction coefficient was maintained for 100,000 cycles (∼2.2 km) of dry sliding in ambient environments. In addition, the specific wear rates of the coatings were found to be extremely low (∼10⁻⁸ mm³/Nm); at the same time, the ball wear rates were one order of magnitude lower. The influences of the processing parameters and the sliding conditions were determined, and the frictional behavior of the coatings was discussed. It has been found that higher normal loads or sliding speeds reduced the wear rates of the coatings. Therefore, it is feasible to prepare hard and highly adherent DLC coatings with low friction coefficient and low wear rate on engineering steel substrates by the ECR-CVD process. The excellent tribological performance of DLC coatings enables their industrial applications as wear-resistant solid lubricants on sliding parts.     

Atomistic Insights into the Running-in,Lubrication, and Failure of Hydrogenated Diamond-Like Carbon Coatings

The tribological performance of hydrogenated diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings is studied by molecular dynamics simulations employing a screened reactive bond-order potential that has been adjusted to reliably describe bond-breaking under shear. Two types of DLC films are grown by CH₂ deposition on an amorphous substrate with 45 and 60 eV impact energy resulting in 45 and 30% H content as well as 50 and 30% sp³ hybridization of the final films, respectively. By combining two equivalent realizations for both impact energies, a hydrogen-depleted and a hydrogen-rich tribo-contact is formed and studied for a realistic sliding speed of 20 m s⁻¹ and loads of 1 and 5 GPa. While the hydrogen-rich system shows a pronounced drop of the friction coefficient for both loads, the hydrogen-depleted system exhibits such kind of running-in for 1 GPa, only. Chemical passivation of the DLC/DLC interface explains this running-in behavior. Fluctuations in the friction coefficient occurring at the higher load can be traced back to a cold welding of the DLC/DLC tribo-surfaces, leading to the formation of a transfer film (transferred from one DLC partner to the other) and the establishment of a new tribo-interface with a low friction coefficient. The presence of a hexadecane lubricant leads to low friction coefficients without any running-in for low loads. At 10 GPa load, the lubricant starts to degenerate resulting in enhanced friction.     

The role of hydrogen on the friction mechanism of diamond-like carbon films

The structure, properties and tribological behavior of DLC films are dependent on the deposition process, the hydrogen concentration and chemical bondings in the films. The present paper reports selected tribological experiments on model DLC films with different hydrogen contents. The experiments were performed in ultrahigh vacuum or in an atmosphere of pure hydrogen or argon in order to elucidate various friction mechanisms. Two typical friction regimes are identified. High steady-state friction in UHV (friction coefficient of 0.6) is observed for the lowest hydrogenated and mostly sp²-bonded DLC film. Superlow steady-state friction (friction coefficient in the millirange) is observed both for the highest hydrogenated film in UHV, and for the lowest hydrogenated film in an atmosphere of hydrogen (10 hPa). The high steady-state friction in UHV, observed for the lowest hydrogenated film with a dominant sp² carbon hybridization, is associated with a –^* sub-band overlap responsible for an increased across-the-plane chemical bonding with a high shear strength similar to what is observed with unintercalated graphite in the same UHV conditions. Superlow friction is correlated with a hydrogen saturation across the shearing plane through weak van der Waals interactions between the polymer-like hydrocarbon top layers. This regime is observed during the steady-state period if the film contains enough hydrogen incorporated during deposition. If this condition is not satisfied (i.e., for the film with the lowest hydrogen content), the limited diffusion of hydrogen from the film network towards the sliding surfaces seems to be responsible for a superlow running-in period. The superlow friction level can be reached over longer time periods by suitable combinations of temperature and molecular hydrogen present in the surrounding atmosphere during friction.     

Re(de)construction-induced friction signatures of polished polycrystalline diamond films in vacuum and hydrogen

Pin-on-flat SEM tribometry was performed with polished, mostly C(100)-textured and acid-cleaned polycrystalline CVD diamond films heated to 950°C then cooled to room temperature. Testing in~1.33×10^-3 Pa = 1× 10^-5 Torr vacuum was followed by similar experimentation in 13 to 40 Pa (0.1to 0.3 Torr) partial pressures of 99.999%-pure H₂. In vacuum, all tests showed the characteristic step function-with-trough coefficient of friction (COF) signatures previously hypothesized as footprints of wear- and thermal desorption-induced generation, re(de)construction and passivation of the danglingσ bonds on the interacting surfaces. In hydrogen, all wear tracks exhibited stepfunction-like COF curves caused by adsorbate de(re)sorption on heating and cooling. A distinct re(de)construction COF trough obtained at the highest temperatures could be duplicated during repeated sliding in the same track on a large number (but not all) of the wear paths. The repeatable, incremental reduction in COF at the onset of heating and its substantial reduction on final cooling are attributed to tribocatalytically enhanced dissociative chemisorption of molecular hydrogen. The wear rates of the polished diamondon the pin tip, as controlled by the progressively reduced unit stresses caused by the enlargement of the wear scar, are between3.9×10^-16 and 2.6×10^-16m³/(N m) in P_{H 2}, in good agreement with previous data. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Improved mixed and boundary lubrication with glycerol-diamond technology

Abstract

The fuel economy and reduction of harmful elements in lubricants are becoming important issues in the automotive industry. An approach to respond to these requirements is the potential use of low friction coatings in engine components exposed to boundary lubrication conditions. Diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings extensively studied as ultralow friction films to protect the surfaces of ductile metals for space applications are expected to fulfil this part. The main purpose of this work is to investigate the friction and wear properties of glycerol lubricated DLC coatings under boundary lubrication conditions. The DLC material consists of tetrahedral hydrogen free amorphous diamond-like carbon (denoted as ta-C) as shown by the time of flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS) analyses and the nanoindentation measurements. The friction coefficient below 0&middot.01, called superlubricity, and no measurable wear were obtained by sliding the ta-C/ta-C friction pair in the presence of pure glycerol as a lubricant at 353 K. The mechanism by which glycerol is able to reduce the friction in the millirange was revealed by ToF SIMS analyses inside and outside wear scars formed by friction experiments using deuterated glycerol and ¹³C glycerol.     

Tribological behaviors of Ti–6Al–4V modified by chemical methods

In order to improve the tribological properties of titanium-based implants, sodium hydroxide (NaOH), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) solutions, sol–gel hydroxyapatite (HA) film, thermal treatment and combined methods of NaOH solution/HA film, H₂O₂ solution/HA film are used to modify the surfaces of Ti–6Al–4V (coded TC4). The chemical states of some typical elements in the modified surfaces were detected by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The tribological properties of modified surfaces sliding against an AISI52100 steel ball were evaluated on a reciprocating friction and wear tester. As the results, complex surfaces with varied components are obtained. All the methods are effective in improving the wear resistance of Ti–6Al–4V in different degrees. Among all, the surface modified by the combined method of NaOH solution/HA film gives the best tribological performances. The friction coefficient is also greatly reduced by the modification of NaOH solution. The order of the wear resistance under 3 N is as following: Ti–NaOH–HA>Ti–NaOH>Ti–HA>Ti–H₂O₂–HA>Ti–H₂O₂ >Ti–500; under 1 N is Ti–HA, Ti–NaOH–HA>Ti–NaOH. For Ti–H₂O₂, a very low friction coefficient and long wear life over 2000 passes is obtained under 1 N. SEM observation of the morphologies of worn surfaces indicates that the wear of TC4 is characteristic of abrasive wear. Differently, abrasion, plastic deformation and micro–crack dominate the wear of Ti–HA; slight abrasive wear dominate the wear mechanism of Ti–NaOH and microfracture and abrasive wear for Ti–NaOH–HA and Ti–H₂O₂–HA, while the sample modified by thermal treatment is characterized by sever fracture. The superior friction reduction and wear resistance of HA films are greatly attributed to the slight plastic deformation of the film. NaOH solution is superior in improving the wear resistance and decreasing the friction coefficient under relative higher load (3 N) and H₂O₂ is helpful to reduce friction and wear under relatively lower load (1 N). Combined method of Ti–NaOH–HA is suggested to improve the wear resistance of Ti–6Al–4V for medial applications under fretting situations.     

MoS2 single sheet lubrication by molybdenum dithiocarbamate

The mechanisms by which Modtc reduces friction in the centirange under boundary lubrication have been investigated using analytical tribometry. First, the SRV friction test was coupled with energy-filtering TEM on wear fragments and spatially-resolved XPS inside the wear scars. Second, we performed UHV friction tests on Modtc tribofilms previously created on a large area. The overall data demonstrate that the mechanisms of friction-reduction by Modtc is attributed to the effect of sliding between single layers of MoS₂ only, and not to intra-sliding in MoS₂ 3-D crystal. Highly-dispersed MoS₂ sheets are present in a carbon matrix in the tribofilm material. The growth of the 2-D MoS₂ single sheets is thought to be formed by degradation of the Modtc molecule by electron transfer mechanisms activated by the friction process. The lubrication of the uncoated, stationary counterface is attributed to successive transfer of individual sheets towards the friction surface. Practically, in these conditions only a few per cent of dispersed MoS₂ is sufficient to lubricate at the same level as pure MoS₂.     

Tribological Properties of Hard Carbon Films on Zirconia Ceramics

In this study, the authors investigated the tribological properties of hard diamondlike carbon (DLC) films on magnesia-partially stabilized zirconia (MgO-PSZ) substrates over a wide range of bads, speeds, temperatures, and counterface materials. The films were 2 μm thick and produced by ion-beam deposition at room temperature. Tribological tests were conducted on a ball-on-disk machine with MgO-PSZ balls, in open air of 30 to 50% relative humidity under contact loads of 1 to 50 N, at sliding velocities of 0.1 to 6 m/s, and at temperatures of 400°C. Al₂O₃ and Si₃N₄ balls were also rubbed against the DLC-coaled MgO-PSZ disks, primarily to assess their friction and wear performance and to compare it with that of MgO-PSZ balls. A series of long-duration lifetime tests was run at speeds of 1, 2, and 6 m/s under a 5 N load to assess the durability of these DLC films. Results showed that the friction coefficients of MgO-PSZ balls sliding against MgO-PSZ disks were 0.5-0.8, and the average specific wear rates of MgO-PSZ balls ranged from 1 × 10^?5 to 5 × 10^?4 mm³/N·m, depending on sliding velocity, contact load, and ambient temperature. The friction coefficients of MgO-PSZ balls sliding against the DLC-coaled MgO-PSZ disks ranged from 0.03 to 0.1. The average specific wear rates of MgO-PSZ, balls were reduced by three to four orders of magnitude when rubbed against the DLC-coaled disks. These DLC films could last 1.5 to 4 million cycles, depending on sliding velocity. Scanning electron microscopy and micro-laser Raman spectroscopy were used to elucidate the microstructural and chemical nature of the DLC films and worn surfaces.     

Deposition and Nanotribological Characterization of Sub-100-nm Thick Protective Ti-Based Coatings for Miniature Applications

Ti-based protective thin films with thicknesses below 100 nm, intended for miniature applications were deposited using physical vapor deposition magnetron sputtering. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy were employed for the assessment of microstructure, morphology, film thickness, surface topography, and roughness. XRD pattern showed the formation of f.c.c TiN, TiCN, and TiC phases with different preferred orientations for films prepared in Ar/N₂, Ar/N₂ + C₂H₂, and Ar/C₂H₂ gas mixtures, respectively. Nanotribological performance was investigated using multipass nanoscratch technique at variable applied normal loads (100–400 μN). The nanoscale coefficient of friction was found to be in the 0.08–0.1 range, a sufficiently low value showing the potential of these films for miniature applications, such as microelectromechanical systems. The nanowear resistance at mean contact pressures in the range of 5–8.5 GPa for each sample was evaluated in terms of the average residual wear depth and an abrasive-dominated wear mechanism was found.     

Lubricating property of cyano-based ionic liquids against hard materials

Ionic liquids are expected to be used as a new lubricants and lubricant additives because of their unique properties. However, cyano-based ionic liquids have exhibited poor lubricating property with steel/steel contacts. We evaluated the lubricating properties of cyano-based ionic liquids with steel/hard materials contacts. TiO₂, Al₂O₃, and tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C) DLC were used as hard materials. Six types of ionic liquids, as combination of two types of cations ([EMIM], [BMPL]) and three types of cyanide anions ([DCN], [TCC] and [TCB]), were selected. In sliding tests of steel/TiO₂ and steel/Al₂O₃ lubricated with [EMIM][DCN], [BMPL][DCN], [EMIM][TCC], [BMPL][TCC] exhibited low friction coefficients of less than 0.1. In addition, steel/Al₂O₃ and steel/ta-C DLC lubricated with [BMPL][TCB] exhibited very low friction coefficients less than 0.05. On the other hand, high friction coefficients were observed at steel/TiO₂ and steel/Al₂O₃ contacts lubricated with [EMIM][TCB] and steel/ta-C DLC contact lubricated with [EMIM] cation group. Peeling of the ta-C DLC was observed when [EMIM] cation group was used. ToF-SIMS analysis indicated that the anion was adsorbed on the worn surfaces in the case of low frictional conditions. However, both ions were hardly observed in the case of high frictional conditions. It is considered that the ionic liquids underwent tribo-decomposition on the worn surfaces at low friction coefficient. To evaluate the degree of tribo-decomposition, Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was used. TGA results indicated that [EMIM][TCB], which exhibited high friction coefficient, had the most highest stability among all ionic liquids. Low stability ionic liquids, however, showed a tendency for low friction coefficient. These results suggest that lubricating properties are related to the stability of ionic liquids.     

Small amplitude reciprocating wear performance of diamond-like carbon films: dependence of film composition and counterface material

Small amplitude (50 μm) reciprocating wear of hydrogen-containing diamond-like carbon (DLC) films of different compositions has been examined against silicon nitride and polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) counter-surfaces, and compared with the performance of an uncoated steel substrate. Three films were studied: a DLC film of conventional composition, a fluorine-containing DLC film (F-DLC), and silicon-containing DLC film. The films were deposited on steel substrates from plasmas of organic precursor gases using the Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation and Deposition (PIIID) process, which allows for the non-line-of-sight deposition of films with tailored compositions. The amplitude of the resistive frictional force during the reciprocating wear experiments was monitored in situ, and the magnitude of film damage due to wear was evaluated using optical microscopy, optical profilometry, and atomic force microscopy. Wear debris was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. In terms of friction, the DLC and silicon-containing DLC films performed exceptionally well, showing friction coefficients less than 0.1 for both PMMA and silicon nitride counter-surfaces. DLC and silicon-containing DLC films also showed significant reductions in transfer of PMMA compared with the uncoated steel. The softer F-DLC film performed similarly well against PMMA, but against silicon nitride, friction displayed nearly periodic variations indicative of cyclic adhesion and release of worn film material during the wear process. The results demonstrate that the PIIID films achieve the well-known advantageous performance of other DLC films, and furthermore that the film performance can be significantly affected by the addition of dopants. In addition to the well-established reduction of friction and wear that DLC films generally provide, we show here that another property, low adhesiveness with PMMA, is another significant benefit in the use of DLC films.     

Multi-environmental lubrication performance and lubrication mechanism of MoS2/Sb2O3/C composite films

MoS₂–Sb₂O₃–C composite films exhibit adaptive behavior, where surface chemistry changes with environment to maintain the good friction and wear characteristics. In previous work on nanocomposite coatings grown by PVD, this type of material was called a “chameleon” coating. Coatings used in this report were applied by burnishing mixed powders of MoS₂, Sb₂O₃ and graphite. The solid lubricant MoS₂ and graphite were selected to lubricate over a wide and complementary range including vacuum, dry air and humid air. Sb₂O₃ was used as a dopant because it acts synergistically with MoS₂, improving friction and wear properties. The MoS₂–Sb₂O₃–C composite films showed lower friction and longer wear life than either single component MoS₂ or C film in humid air. Very or even super low friction and long wear-life were observed in dry nitrogen and vacuum. The excellent tribological performance was verified and repeated in cycles between humid air and dry nitrogen. The formation of tribo-films at rubbing contacts was studied to identify the lubricating chemistry and microstructure, which varied with environmental conditions. Micro-Raman spectroscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) were used to determine surface chemistry, while scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used for microstructural analysis. The tribological improvement and lubrication mechanism of MoS₂–Sb₂O₃–C composite films were caused by enrichment of the active lubricant at the contact surface, alignment of the crystal orientation of the lubricant grains, and enrichment of the non lubricant materials below the surface. Sb₂O₃, which is not lubricious, was covered by the active lubricants (MoS₂ – dry, C – humid air). Clearly, the dynamics of friction during environmental cycling cleaned some Sb₂O₃ particles of one lubricant and coated it with the active lubricant for the specific environment. Mechanisms of lubrication and the role of the different materials will be discussed.