KSTLE International Journal

Korean Tribology Society (한국트라이볼로지학회)
권호 표지

Friction and Wear Properties of Boron Carbide Coating under Various Relative Humidity

  • Pham Duc-Cuong (Tribology Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology) ;
  • Ahn Hyo-Sok (Department of Nano/IT Engineering, Seoul National University of Technology) ;
  • Yoon Eui-Sung (Korea University of Science and Technology)
  • Published : 2005.12.01
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Friction and wear properties of the Boron carbide ($B_{4}C$) coating 100 nm thickness were studied under various relative humidity (RH). The boron carbide film was deposited on silicon substrate by DC magnetron sputtering method using $B_{4}C$ target with a mixture of Ar and methane ($CH_4$) as precursor gas. Friction tests were performed using a reciprocation type friction tester at ambient environment. Steel balls of 3 mm in diameter were used as counter-specimen. The results indicated that relative humidity strongly affected the tribological properties of boron carbide coating. Friction coefficient decreased from 0.42 to 0.09 as the relative humidity increased from $5\%$ to $85\%$. Confocal microscopy was used to observe worn surfaces of the coating and wear scars on steel balls after the tests. It showed that both the coating surface and the ball were significantly worn-out even though boron carbide is much harder than the steel. Moreover, at low humidity ($5\%$) the boron carbide showed poor wear resistance which resulted in the complete removal of coating layer, whereas at the medium and high humidity conditions, it was not. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) analyses were performed to characterize the chemical composition of the worn surfaces. We suggest that tribochemical reactions occurred during sliding in moisture air to form boric acid on the worn surface of the coating. The boric acid and the tribochemcal layer that formed on steel ball resulted in low friction and wear of boron carbide coating.

Keywords

References

  1. Thevenot, F., 'Boron carbide: a comprehensive review', J. Eur. Ceram. Soc. Vol. 6, p. 205, 1990 https://doi.org/10.1016/0955-2219(90)90048-K
  2. Stott, W. R., 'Gear Techno'. (July / August) p. 35, 1999
  3. Holmberg, K., Matthews, A., 'Coating Tribology-Properties, techniques and applications in surface engineering', Tribology Series 28, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1994
  4. Lee, K. E., Lee, J. Y., Park, M. J., Kim, J. H., Lee, C. B., Kim, C. O., 'Preparation of boron carbide thin films for HDD protector layer', J. Magnet. Material 272-276, pp. 2197-2199, 2004 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmmm.2003.12.918
  5. Chen, Y., Chung, Y. - W., Li, S. - Y., 'Boron carbide and boron carbonitride thin films as protective coatings in ultrahigh density hard, disk drives', Surface and Coatings Technology xx, 2005, in press
  6. Gogotsi, Y. G., Koval.chenko, A. M., and Kossko, I. A., 'TriboChemical interactions of boron carbide against steel., Wear 154, pp. 133-140, 1992 https://doi.org/10.1016/0043-1648(92)90249-8
  7. Umeda, K., Enomo, U., Mitsui, A., Mannami, K., 'Friction and wear of boride ceramics in air and water', Wear 169, pp. 63-68, 1993 https://doi.org/10.1016/0043-1648(93)90391-X
  8. Prioli, R., Reigada, D. C; and Freire Jr., F. L., 'Nano friction and wear mechanisms at the interface between a boron carbide film and a atomic force microscope tip', Journal of Applied Physics Vol. 87 No.3, pp. 1118-1122, 2000 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.371988
  9. Prioli, R., Reigada, D. C., and Freire, Jr., F. L., 'The role of capillary condensation of water in the nanoscale friction and wear properties of boron carbide films', Journal of Applied Physics Vol. 88 No.2, pp. 679-682, 2000 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.373720
  10. Larsson, P., Axen, N., Hogmark, S., 'Tribofilm formation on boron carbide in sliding wear', Wear 236, pp. 73-80, 1999 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0043-1648(99)00266-5
  11. Ahn, H. S., Cuong, P. D., Shin, K. H., Lee, K. S., 'Tribological behavior of sputtered boron carbide coatings and the influence of processing gas', Wear 259, pp. 807-813, 2005 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wear.2005.02.096
  12. Harris, S. J., Krauss, G. G., Simko, S. J., Baird, R. J., Gebremariam, S. A., Doll, G., 'Abrasion and chemicalmechanical polishing between steel and a sputtered boron carbide coating', Wear 252, pp. 161-169, 2002 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0043-1648(01)00868-7
  13. Hu, T., Steihl, L., 'Raphaniello, W, Fawcett, T., Hawn, D. D., Marshall, J. G., Rozevels, S. J., Putzig, C. L., Blackson, J. H., Cerrnignani, W, Robinson, M.G., 'Structures and properties elf disordered boron carbide coatings generated by magnetron sputtering', Thin Solid Films 332, pp. 80-86, 1998 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0040-6090(98)01019-0
  14. Moulder, J. F., Stickle, W.F., Spbol, P. E., Bomben, K. D., Handbook of X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Physical Electronics Inc., 1995
  15. Sun, J., Ling, H., Pan, W. J., Xu, N., Ying, Z. F., Shen, W. D., and Wu, J. D., 'Chemical structure and micro-mechanical properties of ultra-thin films of boron carbide prepared by pulsed-laser deposition', Tribology Letters Vol. 17, No.1, pp. 99-104, 2004 https://doi.org/10.1023/B:TRIL.0000017424.92978.66
  16. Erdemir, A., Bindal, C., Zuiker, C., and Savrun, E., 'Tribology of naturally occurring boric acid films on boron carbide', Surf. Coat. Tech. Vol. 86-87, pp. 507-510, 1996 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0257-8972(96)02984-2
  17. Erdemir, A., Bindal, C., and Fenske, G.R., 'Formation of ultra-low friction surface films on boron carbide', Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 68, pp. 1637-1639, 1996 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.115676
  18. Dvorak, S. D., Wahl, K. J., and Singer, I. L., 'Friction behavior of boric acid and annealed boron carbide coating by in situ raman tribornetry', Tribology Transactions Vol. 45, pp. 354-362, 2002 https://doi.org/10.1080/10402000208982560