Friction and wear behavior of nitrogen-doped ZnO thin films deposited via MOCVD under dry contact

• Main Authors: U.S. Mbamara, B. Olofinjana, O.O. Ajayi, C. Lorenzo-Martin, E.I. Obiajunwa, E.O.B. Ajayi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2016-06-01
• Series: Engineering Science and Technology, an International Journal
• Subjects: Thin films; Friction; Wear; Optical microscopy; Profilometry
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2215098615301786

Most researches on doped ZnO thin films are tilted toward their applications in optoelectronics and semiconductor devices. Research on their tribological properties is still unfolding. In this work, nitrogen-doped ZnO thin films were deposited on 304 L stainless steel substrate from a combination of zinc acetate and ammonium acetate precursor by MOCVD technique. Compositional and structural studies of the films were done using Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). The frictional behavior of the thin film coatings was evaluated using a ball-on-flat configuration in reciprocating sliding under dry contact condition. After friction test, the flat and ball counter-face surfaces were examined to assess the wear dimension and failure mechanism. Both friction behavior and wear (in the ball counter-face) were observed to be dependent on the crystallinity and thickness of the thin film coatings.