A Survey on Deposition and Tribological Study of Polymer-like Carbon Films
CUI Longchen1,2, WANG Junjun1, HUANG Weijiu1
1 College of Material Science and Engineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054; 2 Science and Technology on Vacuum Technology and Physics Laboratory, Lanzhou Institute of Physics, Lanzhou 730000
Abstract: As a fundamental key technology supporting the aerospace engineering, space lubrication directly impacts the success or failure of space engineering and determines the performance of payloads. In recently years, the rapid advance of Chinese aerospace industry has put forward new demands for the spacecrafts, including ultra-long service lifetime, ultra-high precision, higher stability, larger torque, lower power consumption, lower vibration and noise, miniaturization, lightweight, etc. These new demands will force the development of space lubrication from traditional lubrication to superlubrication (with the friction coefficient less than 0.01). Due to the super-lubricating property in high vacuum, polymer-like carbon (PLC) films have been regarded as new potential solid lubricants for space applications. PLC film is a kind of hydrogenated amorphous carbon films with similar characteristics to hydrocarbon polymers, including high hydrogen content (above 40 at%), low hardness (below 10 GPa), and wide optical band gap (1.7—4 eV). Like other a-C:H films, PLC films are also prepared by vacuum vapor deposition technology based on plasma discharge, but the growth of PLC films should be conducted under low ion energy conditions. Hence, the growth of PLC films is dominated by surface adsorption mechanism, which results in higher H content and larger free volume in a PLC film. Substrate bias is a main deposition parameter controlling of ion energy, and a low substrate negative bias corresponds to a low ion energy. Common deposition techniques of PLC films include reactive magnetron sputtering, inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition, microwave assisted RF plasma chemical vapor deposition, etc.Two frictional mechanisms, namely the hydrogen passivation mechanism and the network structure relaxation mechanism, have been proposed explain to the superlubricating behavior of PLC films in high vacuum from the chemical and mechanical perspectives, respectively. The hydrogen passivation mechanism emphasizes the passivation of dangling bonds of carbon atoms at the frictional interface by hydrogen atoms, which has been demonstrated by many experimental and theoretical studies. The network structure relaxation mechanism highlights the role of free volume in improving of the relaxation ability of the PLC network and hence lowering the collision resistance between micro-asperities at the frictional interface. Although some experimental results can support the network structure relaxation mechanism, there is still a lack of further verification and elaboration of the mechanism on atomic scale. In this article, the progress in vapor deposition of PLC films and their tribological performance and mechanism studies are reviewed. It is pointed out that low ion energy is the key to the deposition of PLC films, and the role of free volume in friction and wear of PLC films is highlighted. Finally, the prospective development of PLC films is proposed, suggesting that preparing nanocomposites and multilayered PLC films are expected to be the technical breakthrough to achieve long-lifetime and environment-adaptive superlubricity.
崔龙辰, 王军军, 黄伟九. 类聚合物碳薄膜的制备及其摩擦学研究进展[J]. 材料导报, 2019, 33(5): 797-804.
CUI Longchen, WANG Junjun, HUANG Weijiu. A Survey on Deposition and Tribological Study of Polymer-like Carbon Films. Materials Reports, 2019, 33(5): 797-804.
1 Qing T, Zhou N N, Zhou G, et al. Lubrication Engineering,2015,40(2),100(in Chinese). 卿涛,周宁宁,周刚,等.润滑与密封,2015,40(2),100. 2 Roberts E W. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics,2012,45,503001. 3 Li J J, Luo J B. Chinese Journal of Nature,2014,36(4),248(in Chinese). 李津津,雒建斌.自然杂志,2014,36(4),248. 4 Zheng Q S, Ouyang W G, Ma M, et al. Science & Technology Review,2016,34(9),12(in Chinese). 郑泉水,欧阳稳根,马明,等.科技导报,2016,34(9),12. 5 Vanhulsel A, Velasco F, Jacobs R, et al. Tribology International,2007,40,1186. 6 Liu X, Yang J, Hao J, et al. Advanced Materials,2011,24,4614. 7 Cui L, Zhou H, Zhang K, et al. Tribology International,2018,117,107. 8 Robertson J. Materials Science and Engineering R,2002,37,129. 9 Dworschak W, Kleber R, Fuchs A, et al. Thin Solid Films,1990,189,257. 10 Weiler M, Sattel S, Giessen T, et al. Physical Review B,1996,53(3),1594. 11 Robertson J. In: Tribology of Diamond-Like Carbon Films: Fundamentals and Applications, Donnet C, Erdemir A, ed., Springer, New York,2008,pp.620. 12 Li H X, Xu T, Chen J M, et al. Journal of Material Science Engineering,2003,21(6),802(in Chinese). 李红轩,徐洮,陈建敏,等.材料科学与工程学报,2003,21(6),802. 13 Chen X, Kato T, Nosaka M. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces,2014,6,13389. 14 Li X, Ke P, Zheng H, et al. Applied Surface Science,2013,273,670. 15 Cai J, Yang W, Dai W, et al. China Surface Engineering,2011,24(6),62(in Chinese). 蔡建,杨巍,代伟,等.中国表面工程,2011,24(6),62. 16 Shi B, Meng W J, Evans R D, et al. Surface & Coatings Technology,2005,200,1543. 17 Corbella C, Vives M, Oncins G, et al. Diamond & Related Materials,2004,13,1494. 18 Inaba H, Fujimaki S, Furusawa K, et al. Vacuum,2002,66(3),487. 19 Tomastik C, Lackner J M, Pauschitz A, et al. Solid State Sciences,2016,53,1. 20 Liu X, Yang J, Hao J, et al. Surface & Coatings Technology,2012,206,4119. 21 Liu X, Hao J, Xie Y. Applied Surface Science,2016,379,358. 22 Bouchet-Fabre B, Dixmier J, Heitz T, et al. Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids,2000,266-269,755. 23 Braca E, Kenny J M, Korzec D, et al. Thin Solid Films,2001,394,30. 24 Wazumi K, Koga Y, Tanaka A. Diamond & Related Materials,2003,12,1018. 25 Donnet C, Fontaine J, Le Mogne T, et al. Surface & Coatings Technology,1999,120-121,548. 26 Fontaine J, Donnet C, Grill A, et al. Surface & Coatings Technology,2001,146-147,286. 27 Konishi Y, Konishi I, Sakauchi N, et al. Nuclear Instruments and Met-hods in Physics Research B,1996,118,312. 28 Buijnsters J G, Camero M, Vázquez L, et al. Diamond & Related Mate-rials,2010,19,1093. 29 Chang H B, Xu T, Zhang Z J, et al. Journal of Henan University (Natural Science),2005,35(4),32(in Chinese). 常海波,徐洮,张治军,等.河南大学学报(自然科学版),2005,35(4),32. 30 Erdemir A, Eryilmaz O L, Nilufer I B, et al. Surface & Coatings Techno-logy,2000,133-134,448. 31 Martinu L, Raveh A, Boutard D, et al. Diamond & Related Materials,1993,2,673. 32 Gao F, Erdemir A, Tysoe W T. Tribology Letters,2005,20,221. 33 Cui L, Lu Z, Wang L. Tribology International,2015,82,195. 34 Casiraghi C, Ferrari A C, Robertson J. Physical Review B,2005,72,085401. 35 Buijnsters J G, Gago R, Redondo-Cubero A, et al. Journal of Applied Physics,2012,112,093502. 36 Su Y Y, Zhao L N, Wang J B, et al. China Surface Engineering,2013,26(5),31(in Chinese). 苏永要,赵黎宁,王锦标,等.中国表面工程,2013,26(5),31. 37 Rybachuk M, Hertwig A, Weise M, et al. Applied Physics Letters,2010,96,211909. 38 Bleecker K D, Bogaerts A, Goedheer W. Applied Physics Letters,2006,88,151501. 39 Pei Y T, Chen C Q, Shaha K P, et al. Acta Materialia,2008,56,696. 40 Cui L, Lu Z, Wang L. Carbon,2014,66,259. 41 Cui L, Lu Z, Wang L. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces,2013,5,5889. 42 Song H, Ji L, Li H, et al. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces,2016,8,6639. 43 Song H, Chen J, Liu Z, et al. Vacuum,2017,143,36. 44 Erdemir A, Eryilmaz O. Friction,2014,2,140. 45 Fontaine J, Le Mogne T, Loubet J L, et al. Thin Solid Films,2005,482,99. 46 Fontaine J, Loubet J L, Le Mogne T, et al. Tribology Letters,2004,17(4),709. 47 Dag S, Ciraci S. Physical Review B,2004,70,241401(R). 48 Zilibotti G, Righi M C. Langmuir, 2011,27,6862. 49 Chen X, Kato T. Journal of Applied Physics,2014,115,044908. 50 Erdemir A, Donnet C. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics,2006,39,R311. 51 Jinesh K B, Frenken J W M. Physical Review Letters,2006,96,166103. 52 Huq M Z, Celis J P. Wear,2002,252,375. 53 Wang B Y, Ma C X, Wei L, et al. Unclear Techniques,2000,23(6),392(in Chinese). 王宝义,马创新,魏龙,等.核技术,2000,23(6),392. 54 Thiry D, Vreese A D, Renaux F, et al. Plasma Process and Polymers,2016,13,316. 55 Fan Y W, Qing T. Tribological Engineering of Space Precision Instruments, China Aerospace Publishing House, China,2013(in Chinese). 樊幼温,卿涛.空间精密仪器仪表摩擦学工程,中国宇航出版社,2013. 56 Donnet C, Erdemir A. Surface & Coatings Technology,2004,180-181,76.