Study of the methane flow influence in the micro-tribology behavior of DLC coatings deposited by PECVD: a Raman analysis

• Published in: Carbon Letters Vol. 31; no. 1; pp. 47 - 56
• Main Authors: Rivera-Tello, César Daniel, Flores-Ruiz, Francisco Javier, Flores, M., Jimenez, O., Farías, I., Oseguera-Peña, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore Springer Singapore 01.02.2021; 한국탄소학회; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Carbon; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemical vapor deposition; Chemistry and Materials Science; Coatings; Diamond films; Diamond-like carbon films; Flow velocity; Gases; Hardness; Hybridization; Hydrogenation; Materials Engineering; Materials Science; Mechanical properties; Methane; Microtribology; Morphology; Nanotechnology; Original Article; Parameters; Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition; Raman spectra; Raman spectroscopy; Spectrum analysis; Thickness; Tribology; Wear resistance; Wear tests; 자연과학일반; Micro-tribology; Raman analysis; Diamond-like carbon; PECVD; Methane flow; sp; bond; sp3 bond
• ISSN: 1976-4251; 2233-4998
• DOI: 10.1007/s42823-020-00148-8

This paper presents a Raman spectroscopy study of the influence of methane flow on the micro-tribological behavior of diamond-like carbon coatings deposited with an industrial plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition system. Results have shown a direct relationship between the methane flow and thickness of the coatings. The analysis of the Raman spectra and deposition parameters allowed establishing the influence of H content with the methane flow, the disorder level and estimation of the sp 3 fraction on the carbon coatings. The micro-tribology tests showed a strong dependence of the wear resistance and hardness with Raman parameters. The coating deposited at 72-sccm methane flow presented a thickness of 1.7 µm and a sp 3 fraction of 0.33. This sp 3 fraction gave rise to a hardness of 24 GPa and an excellent wear resistance of 3.3 × 10 –6 mm 3  N −1  mm −1 for this DLC coating. Wear tests showed a swelling in the wear profiles on this coating, which was associated with the occurrence of a re-hybridization process.