王康,陳新春,馬天寶
類金剛石薄膜固體超滑的研究現(xiàn)狀和挑戰(zhàn)
王康,陳新春,馬天寶
(清華大學(xué) 摩擦學(xué)國(guó)家重點(diǎn)實(shí)驗(yàn)室,北京 100084)
類金剛石(Diamond-like carbon,DLC)薄膜,具有高硬度、高化學(xué)惰性及低摩擦磨損等特性,特別是在一定條件下的超滑特性(摩擦系數(shù)低于0.01),為真正的近零摩擦和磨損的實(shí)現(xiàn)提供了可能性,因此在固體潤(rùn)滑領(lǐng)域展現(xiàn)出巨大的應(yīng)用前景。從元素?fù)诫s種類和鍵合結(jié)構(gòu)特點(diǎn),概述了DLC薄膜的種類多樣性,歸納了不同DLC薄膜的力學(xué)及摩擦學(xué)特性。通過對(duì)比分析不同DLC薄膜在不同環(huán)境條件下的摩擦學(xué)行為,闡述了DLC薄膜超滑實(shí)現(xiàn)的環(huán)境敏感性,其中薄膜和環(huán)境中氫原子的作用十分關(guān)鍵,同時(shí)提出Si等元素?fù)诫s改善超滑環(huán)境敏感性的可行方案。重點(diǎn)介紹了3種DLC超滑機(jī)理——界面鈍化理論、界面石墨化理論以及轉(zhuǎn)移膜形成理論,這三者均具有一定的局限性,如何更深入且全面認(rèn)識(shí)DLC超滑仍是一個(gè)科學(xué)難題。最后強(qiáng)調(diào)了先進(jìn)界面檢測(cè)和表征技術(shù)對(duì)探秘DLC超滑態(tài)界面組成的重要性,并對(duì)今后亟需開展的深入研究方向進(jìn)行了展望。
類金剛石薄膜;超滑;種類多樣性;環(huán)境敏感性;超滑機(jī)理;界面表征技術(shù)
類金剛石(Diamond-like carbon,簡(jiǎn)稱DLC,也可稱為非晶碳)薄膜自1971年由Aissenberg等人通過離子束沉積(Ion beam deposition)方法制備出后[1],以其優(yōu)異的力學(xué)和摩擦學(xué)性能引起廣泛研究熱潮[2-8]。DLC主要由金剛石結(jié)構(gòu)的sp3雜化碳原子和石墨結(jié)構(gòu)的sp2雜化碳原子相互混雜形成三維網(wǎng)狀結(jié)構(gòu)[6,9],通常摻雜不同元素(H、Si、W等)以實(shí)現(xiàn)綜合力學(xué)及摩擦學(xué)等性能[10-12],在具備較高硬度的同時(shí),又兼顧優(yōu)異的減摩抗磨特性。超潤(rùn)滑(摩擦系數(shù)低于0.01,簡(jiǎn)稱超滑)作為DLC最為顯著的摩擦學(xué)特性[13-14],雖然自2000年就已被實(shí)驗(yàn)證實(shí)[15-16],但研究者對(duì)其超滑機(jī)制的認(rèn)識(shí)至今仍不完善。造成這種情況的主要因素有:1)DLC碳膜的種類眾多,不同sp2、sp3比例及摻雜元素的不同都會(huì)導(dǎo)致碳膜力學(xué)及摩擦性能產(chǎn)生較大差異;2)DLC的摩擦性能不僅受到載荷等實(shí)驗(yàn)參數(shù)的影響,同時(shí)對(duì)環(huán)境氛圍十分敏感;3)DLC超滑缺乏普適、系統(tǒng)的理論體系,不同理論之間的聯(lián)系尚不清晰;4)DLC超滑態(tài)界面厚度通常在納米尺度,其化學(xué)和微觀結(jié)構(gòu)特征表征難度大。因此近年來(lái),DLC的超滑機(jī)制研究備受世界各國(guó)研究者的重視且亟需系統(tǒng)性的理解和完善。對(duì)DLC超滑的深入認(rèn)識(shí)有助于人們理解其摩擦過程中能量耗散機(jī)制,繼而為碳膜制備技術(shù)及進(jìn)一步應(yīng)用提供堅(jiān)實(shí)的理論依據(jù)。本文以上述四個(gè)超滑影響因素為導(dǎo)向,詳細(xì)介紹并闡述了DLC超滑機(jī)制的研究進(jìn)展及現(xiàn)存挑戰(zhàn),最后展望進(jìn)一步的研究方向。
DLC薄膜是由同時(shí)含有sp3雜化鍵和sp2雜化鍵的碳原子構(gòu)成的一種亞穩(wěn)態(tài)非晶物質(zhì)[5,9,14]。由于金剛石結(jié)構(gòu)中碳原子以sp3雜化鍵合,而石墨結(jié)構(gòu)中碳原子以sp2雜化鍵合,因此一般而言,類金剛石薄膜(DLC)的性質(zhì)介于金剛石和石墨之間,即有較高硬度的同時(shí)又兼顧較低的摩擦系數(shù)。研究發(fā)現(xiàn),通過摻雜H原子改變sp3和sp2雜化鍵的比例,可以顯著影響DLC薄膜的力學(xué)和摩擦性質(zhì),因此可將DLC薄膜分為含氫DLC(a-C:H)和不含氫DLC(ta-C和a-C)兩類,其中含氫DLC薄膜又可根據(jù)含氫量細(xì)分為四類[17-18]:類聚合物a-C:H(PLCH)、類金剛石a-C:H(DLCH)、四面體a-C:H(ta-C:H)和類石墨a-C:H(GLCH)。除此之外,還可通過摻雜各類金屬或非金屬元素(如Al、W、Si、O等)來(lái)進(jìn)一步改善DLC在各種實(shí)際工況下的性能[11,12,19-21]。由此可見,DLC薄膜其實(shí)是一個(gè)集合術(shù)語(yǔ),包含了各種性能各異的非晶復(fù)合碳膜[6,18],如表1所示。據(jù)報(bào)道,DLC的超滑特性被廣泛發(fā)現(xiàn)于各類含氫DLC薄膜中,包括:a-C:H、GLCH、TLCH、a-C:H:F、a-C:H:Si、(Si/Al)a-C:H等[14-16,19,20,22-24]。
表1 DLC薄膜的種類及特征
Tab.1 Varieties and characteristics of DLC films
自Enke等[25]首次報(bào)道了DLC薄膜具有超低摩擦系數(shù)之后,DLC的摩擦學(xué)性能便受到了各國(guó)研究者們的廣泛關(guān)注。如前所述,DLC薄膜實(shí)際上是一個(gè)集成術(shù)語(yǔ),包含的碳膜種類眾多且性能各異,不同的碳膜在不同的實(shí)驗(yàn)條件下展現(xiàn)出截然不同的摩擦學(xué)性能。研究發(fā)現(xiàn),DLC超滑對(duì)試驗(yàn)環(huán)境條件(真空、惰性氣體、活性氣體、濕度、溫度等)十分敏感,對(duì)于同種碳膜,通過變換實(shí)驗(yàn)條件,其前后的摩擦系數(shù)變化可相差兩個(gè)數(shù)量級(jí)[13,26-32]。
研究表明,多種a-C:H碳膜可在超高真空環(huán)境(Ultra-high vacuum,簡(jiǎn)稱UHV)以及惰性氣體環(huán) 境中實(shí)現(xiàn)超滑[15,20,22,23,30]。最早由Donnet和Fontaine等[2,15,30,33]采用PECVD制備出了不同含氫量的a-C:H薄膜,并在UHV環(huán)境下對(duì)其摩擦性能進(jìn)行了測(cè)試(對(duì)偶面為鋼銷,平均接觸應(yīng)力0.5 GPa,真空度小于10?7Pa),結(jié)果如圖1所示。較低含氫量的a-C:H薄膜(34% H,對(duì)應(yīng)圖1中的AC8試樣)在UHV環(huán)境中,先經(jīng)歷一個(gè)較短時(shí)間的跑合,摩擦系數(shù)低至0.01以下,隨后突然劇烈上升,摩擦系數(shù)達(dá)到1左右,即超滑失效;而含氫量較高的a-C:H薄膜(40% H,對(duì)應(yīng)圖1中的AC5試樣)在達(dá)到超滑狀態(tài)后具有較長(zhǎng)的壽命。對(duì)實(shí)驗(yàn)后樣品表面磨痕的觀測(cè)發(fā)現(xiàn),低含氫量碳膜(AC8試樣)出現(xiàn)明顯劃痕,且有黑色磨屑,說(shuō)明摩擦過程中產(chǎn)生了強(qiáng)烈的界面粘附,而高含氫量碳膜(AC5試樣)的超滑態(tài)磨痕非常淺且光亮。據(jù)此研究者們提出,當(dāng)a-C:H表面接觸滑移時(shí),裸露出的碳懸鍵會(huì)被氫原子飽和,薄膜表面存在一層超薄類聚合物的碳?xì)浠衔铮驗(yàn)樘細(xì)滏滈g的范德華力作用結(jié)合能只有~0.08 eV[6],所以形成易剪切的界面層,表現(xiàn)出超低的摩擦系數(shù),而含氫量不足會(huì)導(dǎo)致一部分表面碳懸鍵無(wú)法被充分鈍化,從而摩擦過程中產(chǎn)生劇烈的摩擦化學(xué)反應(yīng),使摩擦力顯著上升[2]。為了進(jìn)一步驗(yàn)證H的作用,Donnet等[15]在不同氫氣壓強(qiáng)環(huán)境中對(duì)兩種樣品進(jìn)行了摩擦測(cè)試,結(jié)果表明樣品中的H原子以及環(huán)境中的H原子/分子都可以有效延長(zhǎng)超滑態(tài)的壽命。Fontaine等通過實(shí)驗(yàn)確定了在UHV環(huán)境中a-C:H超滑的臨界含氫H量,其依賴于不同的碳膜沉積技術(shù)[30,34,35]。
Erdemir等[16,36]在干燥氮?dú)猸h(huán)境中對(duì)不同碳源(C/H比不同)制備的a-C:H薄膜進(jìn)行了測(cè)試,結(jié)果與其在UHV中類似,即含氫比例越高的a-C:H薄膜,摩擦系數(shù)越小,磨損率越低,且壽命越長(zhǎng)。同時(shí)也發(fā)現(xiàn),當(dāng)對(duì)偶面為更光滑的藍(lán)寶石球時(shí),摩擦系數(shù)可進(jìn)一步降低至0.001。惰性氣體環(huán)境下a-C:H的超滑與其在UHV中非常相似,兩種環(huán)境都能提供一個(gè)惰性環(huán)境來(lái)實(shí)現(xiàn)a-C:H薄膜的超滑特性,同時(shí)它們又存在著不同,主要體現(xiàn)在UHV環(huán)境中a-C:H的超滑壽命明顯比氮?dú)猸h(huán)境中的短。首先,兩種環(huán)境都不能代表絕對(duì)惰性,兩種條件雖然會(huì)顯著降低活性分子的分壓,但仍然會(huì)保留環(huán)境中的少量活性分子,如氧氣和水蒸氣等,會(huì)導(dǎo)致a-C:H表面產(chǎn)生不同強(qiáng)度的氣體吸附作用,繼而影響摩擦行為[26]。其次,兩種環(huán)境下氣體的擴(kuò)散能力(分子平均自由程)有明顯差異,且 真空下的對(duì)流傳熱非常微弱,摩擦界面溫度相對(duì)較高,這些原因的綜合影響導(dǎo)致a-C:H薄膜在UHV環(huán)境中的超滑壽命相對(duì)于氮?dú)庵休^短。此外Ji和Wang等[37-38]發(fā)現(xiàn),同為惰性環(huán)境,a-C:H在氮?dú)庵械哪Σ料禂?shù)要明顯低于氬氣中的,這種摩擦性質(zhì)的差異可用氣體-表面相互作用機(jī)理來(lái)解釋。
圖1 a-C:H薄膜(AC8: 34% H,AC5: 40% H)在超高真空UHV環(huán)境下的摩擦曲線和磨痕光鏡圖[33]
對(duì)于大部分實(shí)際工況,其應(yīng)用環(huán)境往往是大氣,且包含了各種活性氣體(如氧氣、水蒸氣等),而大量研究表明,活性氣體環(huán)境(主要指不同濕度下的 惰性氣體、氧氣和空氣)不利于a-C:H薄膜實(shí)現(xiàn)超 滑[6,21,26,27,39-42]。Kim等[27]將水蒸氣、氧氣和氮?dú)夥謩e通入摩擦試驗(yàn)的真空腔內(nèi),研究了不同氣壓下三種氣體對(duì)a-C:H(40% H)摩擦行為的影響,如圖2a所示。結(jié)果發(fā)現(xiàn):H2O和O2的通入會(huì)增加碳膜表面粘附性,導(dǎo)致摩擦系數(shù)迅速增大,加快a-C:H薄膜的失效,其中H2O分子的影響最顯著,僅達(dá)到~1.3×103Pa壓強(qiáng)便會(huì)使a-C:H的摩擦系數(shù)從真空下的~0.004迅速增大至~0.07,而通入N2的影響最小。從轉(zhuǎn)移膜形成的角度出發(fā),對(duì)偶副材料(如金屬、陶瓷等)表面在活性氣體環(huán)境下都會(huì)參加界面摩擦化學(xué)反應(yīng),形成高度氧化的轉(zhuǎn)移膜,其不僅含有過氧基團(tuán),還包括許多金屬氧化物和碳化物等,導(dǎo)致較大的界面粘附;同時(shí),DLC表面在活性氣體中摩擦導(dǎo)致原位氧化,繼而抑制了易剪切層的形成[21]。
Erdemir等[5]在同一腔體內(nèi)不斷改變環(huán)境條件(潮濕空氣、干燥N2和潮濕N2)來(lái)考察含氫DLC薄膜的摩擦性質(zhì)受環(huán)境的影響,如圖2b所示。結(jié)果發(fā)現(xiàn)不斷地改變環(huán)境,a-C:H薄膜的摩擦行為是可逆的,即摩擦副可迅速排出之前高濕度環(huán)境下生成的磨屑,并再次在摩擦界面形成致密的轉(zhuǎn)移膜。
與此同時(shí),環(huán)境濕度對(duì)無(wú)氫DLC(a-C和ta-C)的影響與對(duì)a-C:H截然相反,前者由于沒有摻雜H原子,真空條件下界面剪切暴露出的大量懸鍵(σ鍵)使得界面間產(chǎn)生極強(qiáng)的粘附作用,因此摩擦系數(shù)較大[43];而少許H2O的存在可以水解生成—H和—OH基團(tuán),并鈍化界面作用較強(qiáng)的C—C鍵,從而降低界面間的粘附,并實(shí)現(xiàn)超低摩擦和磨損[44]。
研究者通常利用金屬/非金屬元素?fù)诫s來(lái)改善a-C:H在潮濕大氣環(huán)境下的摩擦適應(yīng)性[10,12,19,45]。Chen等[45]合成了不同氫含量的a-C:H:Si薄膜(Si原子數(shù)分?jǐn)?shù)為8.9%~9.9%),并在潮濕空氣環(huán)境(22% RH)下進(jìn)行了摩擦實(shí)驗(yàn)(載荷2 N,速度15 cm/s),結(jié)果如圖3所示。研究表明,摻雜Si元素后,a-C:H在潮濕空氣環(huán)境中的摩擦性能明顯得到改善,未摻雜的a-C:H薄膜在潮濕空氣中的摩擦系數(shù)一般大于0.1,而摻雜Si后(原子數(shù)分?jǐn)?shù)~9%),其在潮濕空氣中經(jīng)歷短時(shí)間的跑合后可實(shí)現(xiàn)超低的摩擦系數(shù)(小于0.03),而當(dāng)a-C:H:Si薄膜中的氫的原子數(shù)分?jǐn)?shù)控制在20%~35%時(shí),其在潮濕空氣中甚至可以實(shí)現(xiàn)超滑,如圖3b所示。研究發(fā)現(xiàn),Si摻雜能夠改善a-C:H在濕度環(huán)境中的摩擦性能,主要是其滑移界面在相互摩擦剪切過程中,能發(fā)生摩擦化學(xué)反應(yīng),生成親水的硅氧基團(tuán)(Si—OH),并吸附著邊界水膜,即形成極易剪切的有序化納米結(jié)構(gòu)滑移界面[20,45]。Koshigan 等[12]采用PECVD方法制備了a-C:H:Si:O薄膜,發(fā)現(xiàn)Si和O的摻雜可以明顯改善a-C:H薄膜在氫氣及氧氣環(huán)境下的摩擦性能,但改善效果與環(huán)境條件密切 相關(guān)(H2或O2的壓強(qiáng)大于103Pa時(shí),摩擦系數(shù)明顯下降)。
圖3 a-C:H:Si薄膜(Si原子數(shù)分?jǐn)?shù)為8.9%~9.9%,H原子數(shù)分?jǐn)?shù)為17%~36%)與SUJ2鋼球?qū)δジ痹诖髿猸h(huán)境下的摩擦行為(濕度(22±2)% RH)[45]
基于實(shí)驗(yàn)和分子動(dòng)力學(xué)模擬(MD-simulation)的綜合結(jié)果,研究者們提出了DLC超滑的微觀及原子尺度機(jī)理,主要有:界面原子鈍化理論、界面相變石墨化理論和轉(zhuǎn)移膜形成理論。
對(duì)于a-C:H在真空和惰性氣體環(huán)境中的超滑,Erdemir等[22]提出氫鈍化模型來(lái)解釋,如圖4所示。1)a-C:H薄膜本身通過碳原子與氫原子的雜化存在大量的化學(xué)惰性C—H sp3結(jié)構(gòu)(比C—C更強(qiáng)的C—H鍵能),在摩擦過程中,表面的C—H鍵可以有效鈍化摩擦表面,避免對(duì)偶之間的粘附作用并減小摩擦(抑制碳碳之間形成共價(jià)鍵和π—π*鍵作用); 2)a-C:H薄膜內(nèi)部同樣存在一些未成鍵的氫原子/氫分子,當(dāng)不可避免的界面粘附或磨損發(fā)生時(shí),游離氫能夠迅速填補(bǔ)裸露的碳懸鍵,在表面重新富集化學(xué)惰性的C—H鍵,從而持續(xù)有效鈍化滑移界面并維持低摩擦力;3)氫鈍化界面形成后,C—H鍵中H原子的電子密度轉(zhuǎn)移到原子核的另一端,這樣使得對(duì)偶面的氫質(zhì)子互相接近時(shí),形成C—H/H—C排斥作用,因此進(jìn)一步減小表面間的相互吸引,使得摩擦系數(shù)更低。
Hayashi和Li等[46-47]分別采用緊束縛量子化學(xué)動(dòng)力學(xué)(TB-QCMD)和反應(yīng)力場(chǎng)分子動(dòng)力學(xué)(RMD)研究了氫原子對(duì)自配副a-C界面的鈍化行為,無(wú)氫DLC的滑移界面始終保持著較為劇烈的鍵合過程,因此摩擦力較大,而氫修飾的a-C:H表面可以有效增大接觸距離,避免界面粘附作用。通過模擬細(xì)節(jié)發(fā)現(xiàn),某些局部應(yīng)力較大的地方,C—H可能會(huì)裂解(C—H鍵被拉伸且處于不穩(wěn)定狀態(tài)),但裂解的氫原子會(huì)彼此結(jié)合并生成氫氣分子,其在滑移界面游蕩直至某處的C—H再次裂解后,氫分子可以二次裂解并通過原子轉(zhuǎn)移再次鈍化碳懸鍵。同時(shí)Li等發(fā)現(xiàn)這種界面鈍化受載荷的影響十分顯著,隨著載荷的逐漸升高,鈍化效果逐漸減弱,界面的原子重構(gòu)行為更加劇烈,因此相變對(duì)摩擦的貢獻(xiàn)占到主導(dǎo)地位。Pastewka和Chen等[48-49]通過對(duì)體相a-C:H薄膜(H均勻分布在a-C中)摩擦行為的分子動(dòng)力學(xué)模擬發(fā)現(xiàn),除了氫鈍化外,接觸表面的原子級(jí)粗糙度隨著滑移過程逐漸減小,滑移高度勢(shì)壘逐漸降低,摩擦力進(jìn)一步減??;同時(shí)體相H含量的增多,有利于提高a-C:H的鈍化能力(可承受更高的法向載荷)。Cui等[50]通過實(shí)驗(yàn)發(fā)現(xiàn),a-C:H的界面鈍化對(duì)速度和真空氣壓條件也十分敏感(改變了界面鈍化氣體分子的吸附行為)。此外,除了氫的鈍化,氟原子摻雜的氟化DLC薄膜在惰性環(huán)境中可實(shí)現(xiàn)更有效的鈍化效果[51](C—F鍵的結(jié)合能為5.6 eV,相對(duì)于C—H鍵的3.5 eV更加穩(wěn)定)。
除了基于氫鈍化的鈍化理論,界面原子重構(gòu)導(dǎo)致的類石墨結(jié)構(gòu)相變(界面相變石墨化)也是一種DLC超滑理論。研究人員在實(shí)驗(yàn)中發(fā)現(xiàn)DLC薄膜超滑通常伴隨著摩擦界面的結(jié)構(gòu)相變(sp3→sp2)[20,23,52,53]。Pastewka等[48]利用MD模擬了a-C:H的界面剪切行為,結(jié)果發(fā)現(xiàn)摩擦力的下降雖然伴隨著界面碳原子的sp2化,但其不足以成為摩擦力下降的主要原因。Ma等[54-55]通過研究a-C/a-C摩擦界面的結(jié)構(gòu)相變過程,發(fā)現(xiàn)剪切局域化會(huì)導(dǎo)致劇烈的界面結(jié)構(gòu)相變及原子排列有序化(界面高達(dá)90% sp2),如圖5a所示。這種石墨化過程使得摩擦力迅速減小,而接觸壓強(qiáng)(載荷)是影響石墨化最核心的因素,當(dāng)載荷足夠大使得體系密度升高時(shí),界面剪切局域化才會(huì)有效發(fā)生。同時(shí)Wang等人[56]在納米尺度直接觀測(cè)了a-C界面在剪切誘導(dǎo)下形成的相變石墨納米晶。近幾年來(lái),研究者們發(fā)現(xiàn)DLC在邊界潤(rùn)滑條件下,通過摩擦化學(xué)的誘導(dǎo)也可生成界面類石墨烯層。Bouchet等[57]通過實(shí)驗(yàn)和光譜表征發(fā)現(xiàn),油酸潤(rùn)滑下的ta-C表面通過摩擦化學(xué)反應(yīng)生成氧化膜石墨烯,使得摩擦系數(shù)達(dá)到0.005,隨后Kuwahara等[58]通過量子動(dòng)力學(xué)模擬(QMD)發(fā)現(xiàn)ta-C界面在少量甘油分子作用下會(huì)發(fā)生原子結(jié)構(gòu)重排,生成超薄類石墨烯的界面納米結(jié)構(gòu)(包含了5-,6-和7-碳元環(huán)),如圖5b所示。界面剪切使得甘油分子發(fā)生機(jī)械-化學(xué)分解,生成的氫和氧原子僅能鈍化部分碳懸鍵,從而誘導(dǎo)界面氧化石墨烯層的形成,繼而實(shí)現(xiàn)超滑態(tài)。
圖5 壓力[54]及摩擦化學(xué)反應(yīng)[58]誘導(dǎo)界面原子結(jié)構(gòu)相變
DLC超滑總是伴隨著對(duì)偶面上轉(zhuǎn)移膜的形成(尤其是非自配副DLC界面),當(dāng)轉(zhuǎn)移膜形成后,滑移界面即從對(duì)偶面與DLC薄膜之前轉(zhuǎn)移到轉(zhuǎn)移膜層間,因此建立高質(zhì)量的轉(zhuǎn)移膜是實(shí)現(xiàn)超滑的核心。Chen和Koshigan等[12,45]發(fā)現(xiàn),使用Si和O元素對(duì)a-C:H摻雜來(lái)改善其環(huán)境敏感性的關(guān)鍵在于形成類聚合物特性的易剪切轉(zhuǎn)移膜,Chen通過納米壓痕測(cè)得轉(zhuǎn)移膜的硬度及楊氏模量分別在2.0 GPa和40 GPa左右,明顯低于體相的16.2 GPa和155.7 GPa,說(shuō)明了轉(zhuǎn)移膜本身低硬度和易剪切的特點(diǎn)[45]。Koshigan將已生成轉(zhuǎn)移膜的鋼球與硅片對(duì)磨,發(fā)現(xiàn)其摩擦系數(shù)明顯低于鋼/硅片,進(jìn)一步說(shuō)明了轉(zhuǎn)移膜自身的潤(rùn)滑特性[12]。Liu等[59-60]研究了速度和載荷對(duì)Al2O3球/a-C:H對(duì)磨在真空中摩擦學(xué)行為的影響規(guī)律,結(jié)果發(fā)現(xiàn),速度越高,對(duì)偶面上越難形成致密的碳轉(zhuǎn)移膜,從而極大縮短了a-C:H碳膜的超滑壽命,如圖6所示。而載荷對(duì)轉(zhuǎn)移膜形成的影響和實(shí)驗(yàn)環(huán)境有關(guān),如研究發(fā)現(xiàn),大氣環(huán)境中高載荷有利于形成轉(zhuǎn)移膜,而在真空中卻是低載荷,然而過高載荷不利于提高超滑持續(xù)壽命[60]。此外,Diao等[61]通過在DLC表面覆蓋納米厚的石墨烯納米晶層,加快對(duì)偶面上石墨化轉(zhuǎn)移膜的形成,繼而縮短磨合階段,并減小界面摩擦。
DLC超滑態(tài)的界面層厚度通常在納米尺度,而對(duì)其界面化學(xué)及結(jié)構(gòu)性質(zhì)的直接檢測(cè)依賴于先進(jìn)的表征手段。Chen等[20]通過掃描透射電子顯微鏡(STEM)結(jié)合電子能量損失譜(EELS)表征解析了鋼球表面的納米級(jí)a-C:H超滑轉(zhuǎn)移膜(厚~27 nm),如圖7所示,提出了異質(zhì)界面納米化轉(zhuǎn)移膜的分層結(jié)構(gòu)(納米顆粒鈍化表層+富碳低密度中間層+C-Fe-O過渡層)對(duì)超滑界面的協(xié)同潤(rùn)滑效應(yīng),此外還揭示了氧氣氛下導(dǎo)致超滑界面失穩(wěn)的表面去氫化和高粘附性表層[21]。
圖7 鋼球表面27 nm厚碳基轉(zhuǎn)移膜的BF-STEM及EELS表征(對(duì)磨副:a-C:H)[20]
Wang等[23]利用透射電子顯微鏡(TEM)結(jié)合拉曼光譜,對(duì)類石墨a-C:H薄膜(GLC)和類富勒烯a-C:H薄膜(FLC)的超滑態(tài)磨屑進(jìn)行了分析表征,如圖8所示,發(fā)現(xiàn)磨痕表面存在極薄的有序石墨化相變層(3~5層),強(qiáng)調(diào)了剪切誘導(dǎo)的結(jié)構(gòu)相變對(duì)超滑態(tài)的重要作用。Manimunda等利用原位拉曼摩擦試驗(yàn)機(jī),對(duì)a-C:H薄膜的摩擦系數(shù)、轉(zhuǎn)移膜厚度和轉(zhuǎn)移膜碳鍵雜化結(jié)構(gòu)演變進(jìn)行了原位觀測(cè)和表征,如圖9所示[62]。同時(shí)在納米尺度,原位TEM(in-situ TEM)為揭示DLC納米級(jí)接觸界面的結(jié)構(gòu)演變及粘附狀態(tài)特征提供了新的研究方案[63-65]。此外,飛行時(shí)間-二次離子質(zhì)譜(TOF-SIMS)和近邊X-ray吸收精細(xì)結(jié)構(gòu)(NEXAFS)由于其對(duì)物質(zhì)表面化學(xué)狀態(tài)的高檢測(cè)靈敏度及原子級(jí)深度分辨率,也成為DLC超滑態(tài)原子級(jí)界面化學(xué)性質(zhì)分析的重要表征手段[44,66,67]。
圖9 利用原位拉曼摩擦試驗(yàn)機(jī)對(duì)摩擦系數(shù)、轉(zhuǎn)移膜厚度及碳鍵雜化結(jié)構(gòu)進(jìn)行同步觀測(cè)[62]
從四個(gè)關(guān)鍵方面綜述了DLC薄膜固體超滑研究的主要進(jìn)展,包括DLC薄膜的種類多樣性、摩擦行為的環(huán)境敏感性、超滑機(jī)理的復(fù)雜性和先進(jìn)的超滑態(tài)界面檢測(cè)和表征手段。通過不同的制備技術(shù)得到不同化學(xué)性質(zhì)及結(jié)構(gòu)特點(diǎn)的DLC薄膜,在不同的實(shí)驗(yàn)環(huán)境條件下展現(xiàn)出不同的摩擦學(xué)行為。通常富氫DLC薄膜在真空和惰性環(huán)境下可實(shí)現(xiàn)超滑態(tài),而無(wú)氫DLC薄膜可在活性氣體環(huán)境中(特別是濕度環(huán)境)實(shí)現(xiàn)超低摩擦,這主要?dú)w結(jié)于滑移界面中活性鍵的鈍化,避免了界面強(qiáng)粘附作用,繼而實(shí)現(xiàn)超低摩擦和磨損。通過元素?fù)诫s(如Si、N等),可有效改善DLC薄膜的環(huán)境敏感性,如在Si摻雜改性DLC薄膜中(a-C:H:Si),由于Si—C鍵能(3.21 eV)小于C—C鍵能(3.70 eV),因此摻Si后可使得之前拘束的碳網(wǎng)狀結(jié)構(gòu)變得松弛,大幅降低薄膜內(nèi)應(yīng)力,更重要的是提高了a-C:H薄膜的環(huán)境敏感性,即在濕度環(huán)境下也可實(shí)現(xiàn)超滑態(tài),其超滑機(jī)制主要?dú)w結(jié)于界面納米結(jié)構(gòu)類硅膠易剪切轉(zhuǎn)移膜的形成。除了界面鈍化及轉(zhuǎn)移膜機(jī)理,通過剪切局域化誘導(dǎo)滑移界面的石墨化相變來(lái)減小摩擦磨損并實(shí)現(xiàn)超滑態(tài)也被廣泛提出和驗(yàn)證,特別是在無(wú)氫DLC和類石墨a-C:H(GLCH)體系。此外,更深層次探索DLC超滑的原子尺度機(jī)制,還需依賴于先進(jìn)的表征技術(shù)和手段。
為了進(jìn)一步深入探索神秘的DLC超滑機(jī)制,并促進(jìn)其在各種實(shí)際工況下的應(yīng)用(如寬溫度、極端環(huán)境工況等),可從以下幾個(gè)方面入手,加強(qiáng)深入研究:
1)建立完善、體系的DLC超滑理論,系統(tǒng)研究超滑態(tài)界面化學(xué)性質(zhì)變化(如鈍化)與微觀結(jié)構(gòu)演變(如石墨化)過程的聯(lián)系性以及兩者對(duì)最終超滑態(tài)實(shí)現(xiàn)的協(xié)同作用機(jī)制。
2)結(jié)合計(jì)算機(jī)模擬等方法,建立超滑態(tài)轉(zhuǎn)移膜形成的動(dòng)力學(xué)模型,深入研究載荷、速度和氣氛環(huán)境等因素對(duì)轉(zhuǎn)移膜形成質(zhì)量的影響機(jī)制,有效并定量評(píng)估轉(zhuǎn)移膜形成質(zhì)量與超滑態(tài)之間的聯(lián)系性。
3)開發(fā)多元摻雜改性DLC的制備技術(shù),改善DLC涂層的環(huán)境敏感性,有效提高膜基結(jié)合力,促進(jìn)其在一些跨環(huán)境條件實(shí)際工況中的應(yīng)用。
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Research Status and Challenges of Solid Superlubricity of Diamond-like Carbon Film
,,
(State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China)
Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films have shown significant application prospects in the field of solid lubrication due to their high hardness, good chemical inertness, low friction and wear properties and especially the superlubricty (friction coefficient lower than 0.01) performance under some certain conditions, which can provide new opportunities for the realization of near-zero friction and wear. Various DLC films (DLCs) were summarized according to the differences in doped elements and bonding structures, and the corresponding mechanical and tribological properties were also overviewed. By comparing the tribological properties of DLCs under different environmental conditions, the sensitivity of DLCs’ friction to environmental atmosphere was mainly illustrated, where the hydrogen atoms in films and atmosphere played important roles. At the same time, a feasible scheme to improve the environmental sensitivity of superlubricity by doping Si element or other elements was proposed. Three kinds of DLCs’ superlubricity mechanisms were mainly introduced: surface passivation theory, graphitization theory and transfer film formation theory. All three mechanisms mentioned above had limitations in some extent, and it was still a scientific difficulty to systematically understand and explore the superlubricity mechanisms of DLCs. Finally, the importance of advanced characterization techniques for the detection of chemistry and microstructure of superlubric interface was emphasized, and further research directions were also proposed.
diamond-like carbon film; superlubricity; structural diversity; environmental sensitivity; superlubricity mechanisms; characterization techniques
2020-04-22;
2020-05-15
WANG Kang(1995—),Male, Ph. D. candidate, Research focus: solid superlubricity of diamond-like carbon.
馬天寶(1980—),男,博士,副教授,主要研究方向?yàn)楣腆w超滑的機(jī)理和實(shí)現(xiàn)。
Corresponding author:MA Tian-bao (1980—), Male, Doctor, Associate professor, Research focus: realization and mechanism researches of solid superlubricity.
王康, 陳新春, 馬天寶. 類金剛石薄膜固體超滑的研究現(xiàn)狀和挑戰(zhàn)[J]. 表面技術(shù), 2020, 49(6): 10-21.
TH117;O313.5
A
1001-3660(2020)06-0010-12
10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2020.06.002
2020-04-22;
2020-05-15
國(guó)家自然科學(xué)基金項(xiàng)目(51935006,51975314);國(guó)家科技重大專項(xiàng)(2017-VII-0013-0110)
Fund:Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51935006, 51975314) and National Science and the Technology Major Project (2017-VII-0013-0110)
王康(1995—),男,博士研究生,主要研究方向?yàn)轭惤饎偸∧す腆w超滑。
WANG Kang, CHEN Xin-chun, MA Tian-bao. Research status and challenges of solid superlubricity of diamond-like carbon film[J]. Surface technology, 2020, 49(6): 10-21.