Abstract
Superlubricity refers to a sliding regime in which contacting surfaces move over one another without generating much adhesion or friction [1]. From a practical application point of view, this will be the most ideal tribological situation for many moving mechanical systems mainly because friction consumes large amounts of energy and causes greenhouse gas emissions [2]. Superlubric sliding can also improve performance and durability of these systems. In this paper, we attempt to provide an overview of how controlled or targeted bulk, surface, or tribochemistry can lead to superlubricity in diamond-like carbon (DLC) films. Specifically, we show that how providing hydrogen into bulk and near surface regions as well as to sliding contact interfaces of DLC films can lead to super-low friction and wear. Incorporation of hydrogen into bulk DLC or near surface regions can be done during deposition or through hydrogen plasma treatment after the deposition. Hydrogen can also be fed into the sliding contact interfaces of DLCs during tribological testing to reduce friction. Due to favorable tribochemical interactions, these interfaces become very rich in hydrogen and thus provide super-low friction after a brief run-in period. Regardless of the method used, when sliding surfaces of DLC films are enriched in hydrogen, they then provide some of the lowest friction coefficients (i.e., down to 0.001). Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometer (TOF-SIMS) is used to gather evidence on the extent and nature of tribochemical interactions with hydrogen. Based on the tribological and surface analytical findings, we provide a mechanistic model for the critical role of hydrogen on superlubricity of DLC films.
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Ali ERDEMIR. He is a Distinguished Fellow and a Senior Scientist at Argonne National Laboratory with broad experience and expertise in the fields of materials science, surface engineering, and tribology. He received his MS and PhD degrees in Materials Science and Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1982 and 1986, respectively and his BS from Istanbul Technical University in 1977. In recognition of his pioneering research, Dr. Erdemir has received numerous awards and honors, including the University of Chicago’s Medal of Distinguished Performance, five R&D-100 Awards, two Al Sonntag and an Edmond E. Bisson Awards from the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers, and an Innovative Research Award from the Tribology Division of ASME. He is a Fellow of ASME, STLE, AVS, and ASM-International. He authored/co-authored more than 280 research articles (190 of which are refereed), 18 book/handbook chapters, edited two books, presented more than 150 invited/keynote/lenary talks, and holds 15 U.S. Patents. His current research is directed toward nanoscale design and large-scale manufacturing of new materials, coatings, and lubricants for a broad range of applications in manufacturing, transportation and other energy conversion and utilization systems.
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Erdemir, A., Eryilmaz, O. Achieving superlubricity in DLC films by controlling bulk, surface, and tribochemistry. Friction 2, 140–155 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40544-014-0055-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40544-014-0055-1