Friction control of diamond-like carbon coatings

The friction reduction of contacting surfaces in relative motion may be achieved through the use of solid lubricant coatings. The control of friction and wear through diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings strongly depends on both the environmental conditions and the nature of the coating, as determined by the deposition process. The paper presents and discusses friction results linking the structure and composition of DLC coatings prepared by PACVD and varying precursor and bias, with physical and mechanical properties and tribological behavior in controlled environments. The wide range of the friction coefficients observed, from less than 0.01 to more than 0.5, and the different mechanisms involved are explained by the effects of the deposition process and tribological parameters. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.