Evaluation of anti-adhesion characteristics of diamond-like carbon film using high-frequency, linear-oscillation tribometer

The basic significance of a method of evaluating the anti-adhesion characteristics of diamond-like carbon (DLC) films by a reciprocating wear test using a high-frequency, linear-oscillation tribometer under a step loading condition was verified with a single test condition, and processes up to the occurrence of delamination were investigated in this study. The failure load, corresponding to the anti-adhesion capacity of the DLC film, varied greatly. When delamination of the DLC film occurred, the friction coefficient increased and the oscillation stroke decreased. However, these trends up to the occurrence of delamination were not uniform. Even when a delamination did not occur, the friction coefficient may have increased and the oscillation stroke may have decreased owing to the embedment of wear debris. It was revealed that the process from running-in to the occurrence of delamination exhibited two patterns depending on whether or not the embedment of wear debris occurred. A model representing the relationship between the phenomena occurring at sliding surfaces, the friction coefficient and the oscillation stroke was proposed.