Hydrophobic, mechanical, and tribological properties of fluorine incorporated hydrogenated fullerene-like carbon films

Junyan Zhang,Li Qiang,Kaixiong Gao,Bin Zhang,Zhenbin Gong

doi:10.1007/s40544-013-0031-1

Junyan Zhang, Li Qiang + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1007/s40544-013-0031-1

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Abstract

Abstract Fluorine-incorporated hydrogenated fullerene-like nanostructure amorphous carbon films (F-FLC) were synthesized by employing the direct current plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (dc-PECVD) technique using a mixture of methane (CH4), tetra-fluoromethane (CF4), and hydrogen (H2) as the working gases. The effect of the fluorine content on the bonding structure, surface roughness, hydrophobic, mechanical, and tribological properties of the films was systematically investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman analysis, atomic force microscope (AFM), contact angle goniometer, nano-indenter, and reciprocating ball-on-disc tester, respectively. The fluorine content in the films increased from 0 to 2.1 at.% as the CF4 gas flow ratio increased from 0 to 3 sccm, and incorporated fluorine atoms existed in the form of C-F X (X = 1, 2, 3) bonds in the film. The fullerene nanostructure embedded in the hydrogenated amorphous carbon films was confirmed by Raman analysis. The water contact angle was significantly increased because of fluorine doping, which indicates that the hydrophobicity of the carbon films could be adjusted to some extent by the fluorine doping. The hardness and elastic modulus of the films remained relatively high (22 GPa) as the fluorine content increased. Furthermore, the friction coefficient of the carbon films was significantly reduced and the wear resistance was enhanced by fluorine doping.

Highlights

Hydrogenated diamond-like carbon (DLC) films have attracted significant interest in the area of science because of their extraordinary properties such as high mechanical hardness, low friction coefficient, and high wear resistance [1,2,3,4]
A number of deposition technologies have been proposed for the synthesis of F-fullerene-like nanostructure carbon (FLC) films [19,20,21]; the common deposition technique involves the use of a pulsed direct current plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition system, which has several advantages such as low film stress, low deposition temperature, and good uniformity on a large-area substrate
Fluorine incorporated hydrogenated fullerene-like nanostructure carbon films were deposited on the Si wafer using the dc-PECVD technique

Summary

Introduction

Hydrogenated diamond-like carbon (DLC) films have attracted significant interest in the area of science because of their extraordinary properties such as high mechanical hardness, low friction coefficient, and high wear resistance [1,2,3,4]. These properties make them excellent candidates for a wide range of applications. Fluorine incorporated DLC films have attracted significant interest due to their superior low friction coefficient, low surface energy, low internal stress, excellent biocompatibility, and hydrophobic properties. A number of deposition technologies have been proposed for the synthesis of F-FLC films [19,20,21]; the common deposition technique involves the use of a pulsed direct current plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (dc-PECVD) system, which has several advantages such as low film stress, low deposition temperature, and good uniformity on a large-area substrate

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