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Nanotribological Improvements due to Surface Chemistry Modification
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
Abstract
Nanotribological improvements concerning adhesion and friction can be obtained by chemical modification of the sample surface. Due to adsorption a thin water film is always present. However, the thickness of the fim can be reduced or temporarily suppressed by hydrofluoric (HF) acid etching, leading to hydrophobic surface conditions for the case of silicon. Using a novel micro/nano tribo-tester capable of probing two planar samples in contact, adhesion and friction forces in the range of mN down to nN can be resolved using force-distance mode or tangential force mode, respectively. It can be shown that the reduction of the water layer reduces the adhesion effectively. The tangential force measurements, however, indicate strong stick/slip events. Those stick/slips were not observed with samples having a thicker water film. The thickness of the water film controls the type of sliding. As the thickness decreases stick/slips appear and vanish. This phenomenon is attributed to the formation of ordered layers. Experimental results will be presented for silicon samples (A = 3 mm2). The surface chemistry was monitored using Auger Electron Spectroscopy. Topography was measured by Atomic Force Microscope (AFM).
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- Copyright © Materials Research Society 1998
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