Structure effects of sp2-rich carbon films under super-low friction contact.

Driven by the advent of fullerenes, carbon nanotubes and graphene, designing or tailoring sp 2 -rich carbon clusters in carbon based films attains very interesting properties which can be ideal in various applications. Depositing sp 2 -rich clusters evolve toward a three-dimensional arrangement (composed of extended, bent, and cross-linked graphite basal planes, i.e. fullerene-like carbon (FLC)) or nanocrystalline planar graphitic configurations with the promotion in size and ordering of six-membered ring clusters (i.e. graphite-like carbon (GLC)). However, the films are studied separately and their structure effects on sliding-induced structure changes has never enjoyed elaboration. Here we built the self-mated friction groups of single structural films coated at two sliding surfaces, and designed a smart device to gather the transformed products under different load and sliding cycles. Super-low friction was realized under higher load by low-shear strength from graphene formed at the GLC interface (0.005), or reduced contact area from spherical nanoparticles with outer graphite shells produced at the FLC interface (0.009), resulting by different rehybridization pathways from different film structures. The role of film and rehybridized structures under super-low friction contact was discussed. The results could enrich the understanding of friction-induced rehybridization mechanism and help to deposit suitable films to significantly reduce friction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]