Crystal reorientation and wear mechanisms in MoS2 lubricating thin films investigated by TEM

摘要

MoS2 thin films are sputter-deposited in different conditions in order to obtain well-defined microstructures. They are submitted to ball-on-disk wear tests at moderate loads (0.7 GPa). Cross sections of wear tracks are observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Sliding induces the formation and the wear of a lubricating buffer layer between the film and the sliding ball. This buffer layer shows strong crystal reorientation, suggesting the presence of intergranular motion. Initially amorphous films crystallize during the sliding test. The film's intrinsic failure mechanisms appear to be more determinant for the sliding lifetime than the properties of the interface