Tribological properties of molybdenum disulfide films doped with amorphous carbon in vacuum and high-temperature environments

Fenghua SU, Liqiang HUA, Jie ZHOU, Jianfang SUN, Songsheng LIN

Journal of Tsinghua University(Science and Technology) ›› 2025, Vol. 65 ›› Issue (2) : 298-311.

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Journal of Tsinghua University(Science and Technology) ›› 2025, Vol. 65 ›› Issue (2) : 298-311. DOI: 10.16511/j.cnki.qhdxxb.2024.21.044

Tribological properties of molybdenum disulfide films doped with amorphous carbon in vacuum and high-temperature environments

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Abstract

Objective: Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is a multifunctional material primarily used in lubrication, electronics, and catalysis. MoS2 films are widely utilized in the aerospace industry due to their excellent lubrication properties. These films are applied in aircraft landing gear, engine components, and moving parts of spacecraft to ensure efficient operation and minimize frictional wear. However, under high-temperature conditions, MoS2 films are susceptible to oxidation into molybdenum trioxide, significantly degrading their lubricating performance and restricting their applicability in high-temperature environments. Methods: Herein, MoS2 films were enhanced by doping them with amorphous carbon to improve their mechanical properties and high-temperature tribological performance. Using direct-current magnetron sputtering, medium-frequency magnetron sputtering, and high-power pulsed composite sputtering techniques, MoS2-C composite films were fabricated. The effects of doping amorphous carbon and its concentration on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and tribological performance of MoS2 films were thoroughly investigated. Results: The results revealed that the MoS2-C composite films exhibited a preferential orientation of the (002) crystal plane. Amorphous carbon incorporation into the MoS2 matrix resulted in a dense and uniform structure while reducing surface roughness. This structural modification enhanced the mechanical and tribological properties of the films. Doping MoS2-C composite films with an optimal amount of amorphous carbon significantly improved their mechanical properties. Their nanohardness and elastic modulus reached 5.50 and 82.53 GPa, respectively, while substrate adhesion strength increased to 8.30 N, approximately 3.6 times higher than that of pure MoS2 films. These improvements suggest that amorphous carbon addition enhances the mechanical strength and durability of the films. At room temperature, both MoS2 and MoS2-C composite films exhibited poor tribological performance, primarily due to the infiltration of moisture molecules from air into the MoS2 interlayers. This results in MoS2 oxidation, compromising the lubrication properties of the films. Meanwhile, the tribological performance of MoS2-C composite films substantially improved in a vacuum environment, attributed to the isolation from oxygen, preventing oxidation and allowing the films to maintain their lubricating properties. Under high-temperature conditions (100 ℃-300 ℃), MoS2-C films outperformed pure MoS2 films by maintaining a lower friction coefficient. MoS2-C films with 37.41% atomic percentage of carbon exhibited the lowest wear rate of 9.75×10-8 mm/(N·m) while showing a friction coefficient of 0.008 at 200 ℃, which is the lowest value among all samples. Notably, at 300 ℃, pure MoS2 films quickly failed due to oxidation, whereas MoS2-C composite films retained a lower friction coefficient and longer wear life. This improvement is primarily attributed to the incorporation of carbon, which effectively inhibits MoS2 oxidation in high-temperature environments. Conclusions: MoS2-C composite films exhibit enhanced wear resistance and load-bearing capacity at elevated temperatures. These findings suggest that doping amorphous carbon into MoS2 films significantly improves their tribological and mechanical properties, especially under high-temperature conditions. MoS2-C composite films demonstrate excellent wear resistance and prolonged service life, making them promising for high-temperature lubrication applications. By optimizing the carbon content, it is possible to further enhance the high-temperature lubrication performance of MoS2 films while maintaining their excellent mechanical properties. This provides new possibilities for developing advanced tribological coatings that effectively perform under harsh operating conditions.

Key words

MoS2 film / doping of carbon / tribology / mechanical properties / vacuum / high temperature

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Fenghua SU , Liqiang HUA , Jie ZHOU , et al . Tribological properties of molybdenum disulfide films doped with amorphous carbon in vacuum and high-temperature environments[J]. Journal of Tsinghua University(Science and Technology). 2025, 65(2): 298-311 https://doi.org/10.16511/j.cnki.qhdxxb.2024.21.044

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