The Tribological Properties of DLC Films Deposited by Hot Filament Plasma CVD Technique

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films have good tribological properties such as a low friction coefficient and high wear resistance. However, the tribological properties of DLC films are significantly affected by other factors, such as the deposition technique, deposition conditions, and sliding conditions (velocity, normal load, and atmosphere). In this work, DLC films were deposited by a hot filament plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) technique onto silicon wafers using a variety of source gases. The tribological properties of DLC films were investigated using a reciprocating friction tester under different sliding conditions in dry air, and the effects of test conditions, mating materials and source gases on the tribological properties of the DLC films were investigated. The tribological properties of DLC films were relatively unaffected by velocity and normal load, while mating materials had a considerable effect. The transfer layers formed on the mating material surfaces seems to play a significant role on the resulting tribological properties.