Se Nanopowder Conversion into Lubricious 2D Selenide Layers by Tribochemical Reactions

Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) coatings have attracted enormous scientific and industrial interest due to their outstanding tribological behavior. The paradigmatic example is MoS2 , even though selenides and tellurides have demonstrated superior tribological properties. Here, an innovative in operando conversion of Se nanopowders into lubricious 2D selenides, by sprinkling them onto sliding metallic surfaces coated with Mo and W thin films, is described. Advanced material characterization confirms the tribochemical formation of a thin tribofilm containing selenides, reducing the coefficient of friction down to below 0.1 in ambient air, levels typically reached using fully formulated oils. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations under tribological conditions reveal the atomistic mechanisms that result in the shear-induced synthesis of selenide monolayers from nanopowders. The use of Se nanopowder provides thermal stability and prevents outgassing in vacuum environments. Additionally, the high reactivity of the Se nanopowder with the transition metal coating in the conditions prevailing in the contact interface yields highly reproducible results, making it particularly suitable for the replenishment of sliding components with solid lubricants, avoiding the long-lasting problem of TMD-lubricity degradation caused by environmental molecules. The suggested straightforward approach demonstrates an unconventional and smart way to synthesize TMDs in operando and exploit their friction- and wear-reducing impact.

Temperature-Adaptive Ultralubricity of a WS2/a-C Nanocomposite Coating: Performance from Room Temperature up to 500 °C

This study reports on the ultralubricity of a high-temperature resilient nanocomposite WS₂/a-C tribocoating. The coefficient of friction of this coating remains at around 0.02 independently of a thermal treatment up to ∼500 °C, as confirmed by high-temperature tribotests. Moreover, the coating annealed at 450 °C keeps exhibiting a similar ultralubricity when cooled back down to room temperature and tested there, implying a tribological self-adaptation over a broad temperature range. High-resolution TEM observations of the tribofilms on the wear track unveil that WS₂ nanoplatelets form dynamically via atomic rearrangement and extend via unfaulting geometrical defects (bound by partial climb dislocations). The (002) basal planes of the WS₂ nanoplatelets, reoriented parallel to the tribo-sliding direction, contribute to a sustainable ultralubricity. The declining triboperformance beyond 500 °C is associated with sulfur loss rather than the transformation of WS₂ into inferior WO₃ via oxidation as suggested earlier. This self-adaptive WS₂/a-C tribocoating holds promise for a constant ultralubrication with excellent thermal performance.

Nanotribological Investigation of Sliding Properties of Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Thin Film Coatings

Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD)-based coatings are known for their low friction performance, which is attributed to the formation of a tribolayer consisting almost exclusively of pure well-ordered TMD. However, the formation of such a tribolayer and its wear track coverage is still unknown. In this study, we employed surface mapping and nanotribological techniques to study the properties of the wear tracks of composite W-S-C coatings. Our analysis revealed that the as-deposited coating consisted of two phases, with significantly different nanoscale frictional properties. We attributed the phases to nanocrystalline WS₂ (low friction) and amorphous solution of carbon and WS₂ (high friction). The two phases wear at different rates, especially at lower loads, where we observed faster depletion of nanocrystalline WS₂. In the wear track, sparse flat WS₂ flakes were identified, suggesting that the recrystallization of the WS₂ phase occurs only at the spots where the contact pressure is the highest.

Comparative Study of DC and RF Sputtered MoSe2 Coatings Containing Carbon—An Approach to Optimize Stoichiometry, Microstructure, Crystallinity and Hardness

Low stoichiometry, low crystallinity, low hardness and incongruencies involving the reported microstructure have limited the applicability of TMD-C (Transition metal dichalcogenides with carbon) solid-lubricant coatings. In this work, optimized Mo–Se–C coatings were deposited using confocal plasma magnetron sputtering to overcome the above-mentioned issues. Two different approaches were used; MoSe2 target powered by DC (direct current) or RF (radio frequency) magnetron sputtering. Carbon was always added by DC magnetron sputtering. Wavelength dispersive spectroscopy displayed Se/Mo stoichiometry of ~2, values higher than the literature. The Se/Mo ratio for RF-deposited coatings was lower than for their DC counterparts. Scanning electron microscopy showed that irrespective of the low carbon additions, the Mo–Se–C coatings were highly compact with no vestiges of columnar growth due to optimal bombardment of sputtered species. Application of substrate bias further improved compactness at the expense of lower Se/Mo ratio. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy confirmed the presence of MoSe2 crystals, and (002) basal planes. Even very low carbon additions led to an improvement of the hardness of the coatings. The work reports a comparison between RF and DC sputtering of MoSe2 coatings with carbon and provides a guideline to optimize the composition, morphology, structure, and mechanical properties.

Low Deposition Temperature-Induced Changes of the Microstructure and Tribological Property of WS2 Film

Pure WS2 films were prepared by the radio frequency sputtering of a WS2 target with the initial substrate temperature controlled to −40, −25, 0 °C and room temperature by cooling the holder with liquid nitrogen, respectively. The influence of the substrate temperature on the microstructures and the tribological properties of the prepared films have been evaluated and the wear mechanism of the films was explained. It revealed that with decreasing the substrate temperature, the prepared WS2 film changed from the loose and coarse columnar plate structure for film deposited at room temperature to a much more compact morphology for film deposited at −40 °C. The WS2 film deposited at low temperature of −40 or −25 °C exhibited a long wear life higher than 5.0 × 105 sliding cycles, while this was about 1.5 × 105 cycles for the WS2 deposited at room temperature. The improved tribological properties for the low temperature-deposited film were mainly attributed to the much lower wear rate resulted from the compact structure as well as the sustained and steadily formed transform layer on the counterpart ball.

Selective-releasing-affected lubricant mechanism of a self-assembled MoS2/Mo–S–C nanoperiod multilayer film sliding in diverse atmospheres

A self-assembled MoS₂/Mo–S–C multilayer film prepared by r.f. co-sputtering of MoS₂ and graphite targets was tribotested in diverse sliding atmospheres, and the lubricant mechanism and its correlations to the selective releasing behavior of non-lubricant component were analyzed in detail.

Growth and characteristics of self-assembled MoS2/Mo-S-C nanoperiod multilayers for enhanced tribological performance

Highly ordered MoS₂/Mo-S-C nanoperiod multilayers are synthesized by a novel self-assembling mechanism in simultaneous sputtering of MoS₂ and graphite targets. The sequential formation of MoS₂-riched domain layers and Mo-S-C compositional mixed capping layers reveals no correspondence to the sample stage rotation but is caused by the low energy ion bombardment enhanced interdiffusion. The HRTEM observation shows that the phase segregation normal to the film surface is initiated from substrate-film interlayer with clear contrasts in the first few bi-layers, and then diffuses mutually in a quasiperiodic pattern between two altered sub-layers. Compared with sputtered MoS₂ film, the bulk film of multilayers exhibit largely improved toughness under a normal load, and the preferential orientation of sputtered MoS₂ in (002) basal planes is significantly enhanced, both of which render the film excellent loads-bearing capacity and lubricant properties. The nano-scratching tests performed on a nanoindentation system suggest that the nano-tribological performance of multilayers is directly determined by the altered structure and properties of neighboring sub-layers until stable tribofilms are formed. Meanwhile, the pin-on-disk tribotests in ambient air, low vacuum and high vacuum provide comparably low friction coefficient yet distinct wear lives in different atmospheres due to the partially restricted humid-sensitivity of sputtered MoS₂ phase.

Friction Force Microscopy Analysis of Self-Adaptive W-S-C Coatings: Nanoscale Friction and Wear

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD) are increasingly popular due to unique structural and mechanical properties. They belong, together with graphene and similar 2D materials, to a small family of solid lubricants with potential to produce ultralow friction state. At the macroscale, low friction stems from the ability to form well-oriented films on the sliding surface (typically up to 10 nm thick), with the TMD basal planes aligned parallel to the surface. In this study, we quantitatively evaluate tribological properties of three sputtered tungsten-sulfur-carbon (W-S-C) coatings at a nanoscale using friction force microscopy. In particular, we investigate possible formation of well-ordered tungsten disulfide (WS2) layers on the coating surface. The coefficient of friction decreased with increasing load independently of coating composition or mechanical properties. In contrast, hard coatings with high tungsten carbide content were more resistant to wear. We successfully identified a WS2 tribolayer at the sliding interface, which peeled off as ultrathin flakes and attached to AFM tip. Nanoscale tribological behavior of WSC coatings replicates deviation of Amonton's law observed in macroscale testing and strongly suggests that the tribolayer is formed almost immediately after the start of sliding.

Reactive magnetron sputtered wear resistant multilayer transition metal carbide coatings: microstructure and tribo-mechanical properties

Very high wear resistance in TiC/ZrC multilayer coating was observed due to higher compressive stress and preferred (111) crystalline orientations of TiC and ZrC layers.

Triboelectricity in insulating polymers: evidence for a mechanochemical mechanism

Transfer of reaction products formed on the surfaces of two mutually rubbed dielectric solids makes an important if not dominating contribution to triboelectricity. New evidence in support of this statement is presented in this report, based on analytical electron microscopy coupled to electrostatic potential mapping techniques. Mechanical action on contacting surface asperities transforms them into hot-spots for free-radical formation, followed by electron transfer producing cationic and anionic polymer fragments, according to their electronegativity. Polymer ions accumulate creating domains with excess charge because they are formed at fracture surfaces of pulled-out asperities. Another factor for charge segregation is the low polymer mixing entropy, following Flory and Huggins. The formation of fractal charge patterns that was previously described is thus the result of polymer fragment fractal scatter on both contacting surfaces. The present results contribute to the explanation of the centuries-old difficulties for understanding the “triboelectric series” and triboelectricity in general, as well as the dissipative nature of friction, and they may lead to better control of friction and its consequences.