Structural and tribological studies of MoS2 solid lubricant films having tailored metal-multilayer nanostructures

Abstract Molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) solid lubricant films were prepared by r.f. magnetron sputtering on 440C steel, 52100 steel, and silicon substrates. This study concentrated on films that were multilayer coatings of MoS 2 with either nickel or Au-(20%)Pd metal interlayers. Multilayer thicknesses ranged from 0.2 nm to 1.0 nm while the multilayer periodic spacing ranged from 3 to 10 nm. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction revealed that the multilayer films had dense microstructures that, in some cases, exhibited significant orientation of their basal planes parallel to the substrate. Film endurance was assessed in sliding contact using thrust washer tests and in rolling contact using thrust bearing tests. Some film microstructures exhibited excellent endurance. Brale indentation indicated that the metal layers can improve film fracture toughness. Friction in air and ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) was investigated using a UHV-compatible test apparatus. Friction coefficients between 0.05 and 0.08 were measured in UHV.

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