Environmental and surface chemical effects on tribological properties of carbon-based coatings

Abstract

During the past several decades, diamond-like carbon (DLC) and various carbon-based coatings were developed with a wide range of chemical, mechanical, and physical properties. Because of the difference in synthesis techniques and tribotesting conditions explored in these studies, many experimental results appeared to contradict one another. This chapter presents an overview of the effects of the environment and surface chemistry on friction and wear performance of several carbon-based coatings: silicon carbide, boron carbide, DLC, and amorphous carbon nitride. In addition, we present a model to explain time-dependent effects on the friction behavior of hydrogenated DLC coatings based on the combined effects of ambient gas adsorption and mechanical removal. © 2008 Springer Science + Business Media, LLC.