Uncovering the Fundamental Nature of Tribological Interfaces: High- Resolution Tribology and Spectroscopy of Ultrahard Nanostructured Diamond Films for MEMS and Beyond; Final rept. 15 Mar 2005-31 Dec 2007

摘要

Several new and significant fundamental insights into the tribological behavior of ultrastrong carbon-based films with extremely low friction and wear have been uncovered. Specific limits on this low friction and wear behavior were elucidated. In addition, photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) has been successfully established as a powerful tool for understanding the changes that occur due to tribological sliding. By using PEEM, atomic force microscopy, and a range of surface science techniques, the tribology of carbon- based materials has been brought to a new level of understanding. The new insights include the paradigm-shifting demonstration that the low friction of diamond films is not due to the formation of graphite at the sliding interface as widely thought, but rather due to the passivation of dangling bonds by dissociative adsorption of species such as water.