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Tribological Thermostability of Carbon Film with Vertically Aligned Graphene Sheets

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Abstract

Tribological thermostability of carbon film with vertically aligned graphene sheets was studied with annealing temperatures up to 1,750 °C. The carbon film was deposited on silicon carbide substrate by electron cyclotron resonance plasma sputtering. Tribological thermostabilities of the carbon film in terms of friction coefficient, wear life, and nanoscratch depth were investigated by Pin-on-Disk tribometer and atomic force microscopy. The evolution of nanostructure of vertically aligned graphene sheets in the carbon film as a function of annealing temperature was examined by Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that the friction coefficient, wear life, and nanoscratch depth of the carbon film were thermally stable up to 1,250 °C. When the annealing temperature was 1,500 °C, the friction coefficient and the nanoscratch depth increased, the wear life decreased, but still all were of considerable values. These variations were attributed to the initiation of tubular-like structure originated from graphene sheets stacks. After annealing at 1,750 °C, tribological performances degraded catastrophically due to the abundant formation of tubular-like structures and the appearance of a graphitic interlayer between the film and the substrate.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the National Nature Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 90923027, 51175405).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Education Ministry for Modern Design and Rotor-Bearing System, School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049, China

    Cheng Chen & Dongfeng Diao

  2. Nanosurface Science and Engineering Research Institute, College of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China

    Dongfeng Diao

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  1. Cheng Chen
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Correspondence to Dongfeng Diao.

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Chen, C., Diao, D. Tribological Thermostability of Carbon Film with Vertically Aligned Graphene Sheets. Tribol Lett 50, 305–311 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-013-0129-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-013-0129-7

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