Energy Filtering Transmission Electron Microscopy and Atomistic Simulations of Tribo-induced Hybridization Change of Diamond

摘要

A comparison between experiments and atomistic simulations provides valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying the tribofilm formation between two lubricated NCD coatings. According to EFTEM analysis that followed the ultralow friction experiments, the tribofilm on NCD consists of an a-C layer containing embedded diamonds nanograins with less than 5 nm in diameter. This agrees well with single asperity simulations that showed a noticeable amorphization and sp2+sp1 increase after only one collision. In addition, a crystalline diamond wear particle was generated during a cleavage process occurring in the final stage of the first collision.