High Energy (MeV) Ion Beam Modifications of Sputtered MoS2 Coatings on Ceramics

• Published in: ASLE transactions 1993-10, Vol.36 (4), p.621-626
• Main Authors: Bhattacharya, Rabi S., Rai, A. K., McCormick, A. W., Erdemir, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Ceramic; Exact sciences and technology; Friction Coefficient; Friction, wear, lubrication; Ion Beam Mixing; Machine components; Mechanical engineering. Machine design; MoS; Sputtering; Wear Life
• ISSN: 1040-2004; 0569-8197; 1547-397X
• DOI: 10.1080/10402009308983203

DC magnetron sputtered-MoS 2 films of thicknesses between 500 Å and 7500Å were deposited on NaCl, Si, sapphire, Si 3 N 4 and ZrO 2 substrates, and were subsequently ion irradiated by a 5 × 10 15 cm −2 dose of 2MeV Ag + ions. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Rutherford backscattering (RBS) and Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES) were utilized to study the microstruclural and compositional changes of the film due to irradiation. The friction coefficient and sliding life were determined by ball-on-disc tests under both inert and humid conditions. Both as-deposited and ion-irradiated films were found to be amorphous, having a stoichiometry of MoS 1.8 . A low friction coefficient in the range of 0.03 to 0.04 was measured for both as-deposited and ion irradiated films. However, the sliding life of Ag + ion-irradiated film was found to increase ten fold to thousand-fold compared to as-sputtered films on all the ceramic surfaces studied. The improvement in wear life was correlated with a significant improvement in adhesion of the film with the substrate and a small increase in the density of the ion irradiated film. Presented as a Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers paper at the ASME/STLE Tribology Conference in San Diego, California, October 19-21, 1992