TRIBOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF METALS MODIFIED BY ION-BEAM ASSISTED DEPOSITION OF SILICONE OIL

Silicone oil vapor deposition and Ar+ ion irradiation can form an adhesive carbonaceous film on a steel substrate. The friction coefficient-mu of the coated substrate is found to be very low for sliding against a steel ball both in air (mu approximately 0.04) and in N2 gas (mu < 0.02). The duration of the low friction state is comparatively long and is 5 x 10(3)-1.5 x 10(4) cycles for a film 0.15-mu-m thick. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, infrared reflection spectra, and Raman measurements indicate that the film mainly consists of amorphous carbon containing Si and O.