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Enhanced tribological performance of CuS thin film on Si substrate: the case of APS-PAA buffer layer

Yidong Zhang (Key Laboratory of Micro-Nano Materials for Energy Storage and Conversion of Henan Province, Institute of Surface Micro and Nano Materials, Xuchang University, Xuchang, China)

Industrial Lubrication and Tribology

ISSN: 0036-8792

Article publication date: 9 February 2015

115

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper was to demonstrate the influence of a 3-aminopropyl-triethoxysilane–polyacrylic acid (amino propyl silane (APS)-PAA) buffer layer on the tribological performance of copper sulfide (CuS) thin film on silicon (Si) substrate.

Design/methodology/approach

The APS-PAA buffer layer was first deposited on Si substrate by a self-assembling method. Then, the deposited film was coated by a CuS film by a successive ionic layer absorption and reaction (SILAR) method. The structures and morphologies of the prepared films were characterized by X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy. The results showed that the prepared CuS film with a PAA-APS double layer had a good crystallinity and surface morphology. The tribological performance of the prepared film was analyzed on UMT-2 tribometer and scanning electric microscope.

Findings

With use of an APS-PAA buffer layer, the CuS thin films became compact, smooth and uniform. The tribological performance of the CuS film was greatly enhanced by using an APS-PAA buffer layer.

Originality/value

The paper is the first to demonstrate that the CuS film exhibited enhanced structure, morphology and tribological characteristics by using an APS-PAA buffer layer.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the Natural Science Project in Education of Henan Province, China (Grant No. 2011A150026, 12A180024), Program for Innovative Research Team (in Science and Technology) in University of Henan Province (Grant No. 2012IRTSTHN021), Foundation of Xuchang University (Grant No.2013062) and the Program for Science & Technology of Henan Province (Grant No.122102210419, 122300410005).

All the reagents used in the experiments were of analytical grade (purchased from Shanghai Sinopharm Chemical Reagent Co., Ltd) and used without further purification.

Citation

Zhang, Y. (2015), "Enhanced tribological performance of CuS thin film on Si substrate: the case of APS-PAA buffer layer", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 67 No. 1, pp. 81-84. https://doi.org/10.1108/ILT-06-2012-0054

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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