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Friction 2014, 2(2): 193-208 https://doi.org/10.1007/s40544-014-0057-z
Research Article | Open Access | Issue | Published: 19 June 2014

Surface passivation and boundary lubrication of self-mated tetrahedral amorphous carbon asperities under extreme tribological conditions

Show Author's Information Pedro A. ROMERO1,  Lars PASTEWKA1,2,  Julian VON LAUTZ1,  Michael MOSELER1,3,4( )
Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM, Wöhlerstraße 11, 79108 Freiburg, Germany
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, IAM-ZBS, Kaiserstraße 12, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
Freiburg Materials Research Center, Stefan-Meier-Straße 21, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
University of Freiburg, Physics Department, Hermann-Herder-Straße 3, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
Keywords:
wear, lubrication, sliding, DLC, Atomic-scale simulations, hexadecane, passivation, mixed layer
Cite this article:
ROMERO PA, PASTEWKA L, VON LAUTZ J, et al. Surface passivation and boundary lubrication of self-mated tetrahedral amorphous carbon asperities under extreme tribological conditions. Friction, 2014, 2(2): 193-208. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40544-014-0057-z
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Abstract Full text About this article

Tetrahedral amorphous carbon coatings have the potential to significantly reduce friction and wear between sliding components. Here, we provide atomistic insights into the evolution of the sliding interface between naked and hydrogen-passivated ta-C sliding partners under dry and lubricated conditions. Using reactive classical atomistic simulations we show that sliding induces a sp3 to sp2 rehybridization and that the shear resistance is reduced by hydrogen-passivation and hexadecane-lubrication—despite our finding that nanoscale hexadecane layers are not always able to separate and protect ta-C counter surfaces during sliding. As asperities deform, carbon atoms within the hexadecane lubricant bind to the ta-C sliding partners resulting in degradation of the hexadecane molecules and in increased material intermixing at the sliding interface. Hydrogen atoms from the passivation layer and from the hexadecane chains continue to be mixed within a sp2 rich sliding interface eventually generating a tribo-layer that resembles an a-C:H type of material. Upon separation of the sliding partners, the tribo-couple splits within the newly formed sp2 rich a-C:H mixed layer with significant material transfer across the sliding partners. This leaves behind a-C:H coated ta-C surfaces with dangling C bonds, linear C chains and hydrocarbon fragments.


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About this article

Surface passivation and boundary lubrication of self-mated tetrahedral amorphous carbon asperities under extreme tribological conditions

Show Author's information Pedro A. ROMERO1, Lars PASTEWKA1,2, Julian VON LAUTZ1, Michael MOSELER1,3,4( )
Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM, Wöhlerstraße 11, 79108 Freiburg, Germany
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, IAM-ZBS, Kaiserstraße 12, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
Freiburg Materials Research Center, Stefan-Meier-Straße 21, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
University of Freiburg, Physics Department, Hermann-Herder-Straße 3, 79104 Freiburg, Germany

Abstract

Tetrahedral amorphous carbon coatings have the potential to significantly reduce friction and wear between sliding components. Here, we provide atomistic insights into the evolution of the sliding interface between naked and hydrogen-passivated ta-C sliding partners under dry and lubricated conditions. Using reactive classical atomistic simulations we show that sliding induces a sp3 to sp2 rehybridization and that the shear resistance is reduced by hydrogen-passivation and hexadecane-lubrication—despite our finding that nanoscale hexadecane layers are not always able to separate and protect ta-C counter surfaces during sliding. As asperities deform, carbon atoms within the hexadecane lubricant bind to the ta-C sliding partners resulting in degradation of the hexadecane molecules and in increased material intermixing at the sliding interface. Hydrogen atoms from the passivation layer and from the hexadecane chains continue to be mixed within a sp2 rich sliding interface eventually generating a tribo-layer that resembles an a-C:H type of material. Upon separation of the sliding partners, the tribo-couple splits within the newly formed sp2 rich a-C:H mixed layer with significant material transfer across the sliding partners. This leaves behind a-C:H coated ta-C surfaces with dangling C bonds, linear C chains and hydrocarbon fragments.

Keywords: wear, lubrication, sliding, DLC, Atomic-scale simulations, hexadecane, passivation, mixed layer

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Publication history

Received: 08 June 2014
Accepted: 10 June 2014
Published: 19 June 2014
Issue date: June 2014

Copyright

© The author(s) 2014

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the BMWi with the Progect Pegasus II (M. M.) and by the European Commission (Marie-Curie IOF 272619 for L. P.). Simulations were carried out at the Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC). Analysis and visualization was partially carried out with Ovito [45].

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