The nanomechanical and nanotribological properties of 10-nm-thick amorphous carbon (a-C) films and 100-nm-thick polycrystalline chromium (Cr) and titanium carbide (TiC) films were investigated using a surface force microscope (SFM). The films were deposited on Si(100) substrates by radio frequency (RF) sputtering and pulsed laser deposition (PLD) techniques. The experiments were performed with diamond tips of nominal radius of curvature equal to 20 nm, 100 nm, and 20 μm, and contact forces in the range of 3–400 μN. Nanoindentation experiments performed with the 20-nm-radius pyramidal diamond tip revealed that, for a 20 μN maximum contact force, the deformation of the a-C films was purely elastic, whereas that of the Cr film and Si(100) substrate was predominantly plastic. Although the RF sputtered a-C films and the PLD films of TiC exhibited similar nanohardness (∼40 GPa), the a-C films showed a superior nanowear resistance. Despite the identical hardness-to-elastic modulus ratio values of the RF sputtered polycrystalline Cr films and the single-crystal Si(100) substrate, the Cr films demonstrated a greater nanowear resistance. The wear behavior of the films is interpreted in terms of the relative specific energy dissipated during the nanowear process. Results from nanowear tests show that, in addition to the nanohardness and hardness-to-elastic modulus ratio, the microstructure, type of atomic bonding, and deposition process affecting the composition and residual stress in the films influence the nanowear resistance of the films.
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October 2001
Technical Papers
Nanomechanical and Nanotribological Properties of Carbon, Chromium, and Titanium Carbide Ultrathin Films
W. Lu, Graduate Student,
W. Lu, Graduate Student
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
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K. Komvopoulos, Professor Fellow ASME
K. Komvopoulos, Professor Fellow ASME
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
Search for other works by this author on:
W. Lu, Graduate Student
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
K. Komvopoulos, Professor Fellow ASME
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
Contributed by the Tribology Division for publication in the ASME JOURNAL OF TRIBOLOGY. Manuscript received by the Tribology Division February 9, 2000; revised manuscript received July 25, 2000. Associate Editor: M. T. Dugger.
J. Tribol. Oct 2001, 123(4): 717-724 (8 pages)
Published Online: July 25, 2000
Article history
Received:
February 9, 2000
Revised:
July 25, 2000
Citation
Lu, W., and Komvopoulos, K. (July 25, 2000). "Nanomechanical and Nanotribological Properties of Carbon, Chromium, and Titanium Carbide Ultrathin Films ." ASME. J. Tribol. October 2001; 123(4): 717–724. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1330737
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