Abstract
The outstanding tribological performance of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) is attributed to their unique sandwich microstructure and low interlayer shear stress. This advantageous structure allows TMDs to demonstrate exceptional friction reduction properties. Furthermore, the incorporation of TMDs and amorphous carbon (a-C) in multi-layer structures shows excellent potential for further enhancing tribological and anti-oxidation properties. Amorphous carbon, known for its high ductility, chemical inertness, and excellent wear resistance, significantly contributes to the overall performance of these multi-layer coatings. To gain an in-depth understanding of the tribological mechanism and evolution of TMDs’ multi-layer coatings, a dual in-situ analysis was carried out using a tribometer equipped with a 3D laser microscope and a Raman spectrometer. This innovative approach allowed for a comprehensive evolution of the tribological, topographical, and tribochemical characteristics of both single-layer WS2 and multi-layer WS2/C coatings in real time. The findings from the dual in-situ tribotest revealed distinct failure characteristics between the single-layer WS2 coating and the multi-layer WS2/C coating. The single-layer WS2 coating predominantly experienced failure due to mechanical removal, whereas a combination of mechanical removal and tribochemistry primarily influenced the failure of the multi-layer WS2/C coating. The tribological evolution process of these two coatings can be classified into four stages on the basis of their tribological behavior: the running-in stage, stable friction stage, re-deposition stage, and lubrication failure stage. Each stage represents a distinct phase in the tribological behavior of the coatings and contributes to our understanding of their behavior during sliding.
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Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful for the fund of LICP Cooperation Foundation for Young Scholars (Grant No. HZJJ22-03), and the financial support provided by China National Natural Science Foundation (Grant No. 52075521), the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDB0470102), Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (Grant No. 022HWYQ-096), LICP International Cooperative Scholarship, and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korean government (MSIT) (Grants No. 2020R1A2C2004714).
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The authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article. The author Dae-Eun KIM is the Editorial Board Member of this journal.
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Yuzhen LIU. He is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Tribology Research Laboratory in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Yonsei University Graduate School, Republic of Korea. Under the guidance of Professor Dae-Eun KIM, he concentrates on in-situ Raman spectroscopy analysis and the study of microstructure influence on tribological behavior. Before joining Yonsei University, Yuzhen worked at the Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Jae-Ho HAN. He received his B.S. degree in Department of Aeronautical and Mechanical Design Engineering in 2016 from Korea National University of Transportation, Republic of Korea. Currently, he is a Ph.D. student at Yonsei University, Republic of Korea. His research interests include acoustic emission generated by frictional behavior and tribological characteristics of micro-patterns.
Shusheng XU. He is currently a Professor in State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication (LSL), Chinese Academy of Sciences, China. Before joining LSL, he worked as a Research fellow in the University of Leeds from February 2018 to January 2020, and a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Yonsei University from August 2016 to January 2018. The main research interest of his group is design and preparation of functional coating for surface engineering. His research interests include the vapor deposition of film materials for addressing the growth mechanism and film structure design, especially the transition metal dichalcogenides, ceramic and DLC film materials, and their applications in extreme space environments. Currently, he have published more than 40 papers and gotten 5 patents for invention.
Young Chan JUNG. He received his B.S. degree in mechanical engineering in 2009 from Rutgers University, USA. After then, he received his M.S. degree from University of Pennsylvania, USA, in 2013. His current position is a Ph.D. student in Tribology Research Laboratory at Yonsei University, Republic of Korea. His research interests include nanotribology of wear resistant coatings.
Dae-Eun KIM. He is currently a Full Professor at the School of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Republic of Korea. Professor KIM received his Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA. Professor KIM served as the President of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering and the President of the Korean Tribology Society. He also served as the Editor-in-Chief of International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing, Senior Editor of Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology, and Associate Editor of American Society of Mechanical Engineers Journal of Tribology. He currently serves in the editorial board of several tribology journals including Tribology Letters and Friction. Professor KIM has received many awards from various professional societies and institutions including the Ministerial Commendation from the Korea Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and the Science and Technology Pojang National Award from the Korean President. Professor KIM is a Fellow of the International Academy for Production Engineering (CIRP) and a Fellow of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology. His research interests are tribology, coatings and surface modification.
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Dual in-situ observation of tribochemical and morphological evolution of single-layer WS2 and multi-layer WS2/C coatings
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Liu, Y., Han, JH., Xu, S. et al. Dual in-situ observation of tribochemical and morphological evolution of single-layer WS2 and multi-layer WS2/C coatings. Friction 12, 1580–1598 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40544-023-0844-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40544-023-0844-5