Microstructure and phase composition of the Ag-Al film wear track : Through-thickness characterization by advanced electron microscopy

• Analytical transmission electron microscopy has been applied to characterize the microstructure, phase and chemical composition of the Ag-Al wear track throughout its thickness down to the atomic level. Microscopy findings have been correlated with Ag-Al film tribological properties to understand the effect of the hexagonal solid solution phase on the tribological properties of this film. Ag-25Al (at.%) films have been produced by simultaneous magnetron sputtering of components in Ar atmosphere under 1 mTorr pressure and subjected to pin-on-disc tribological tests. It has been shown that hcp phase with (001) planes aligned parallel to the film surface dominates both in as-deposited and in tribofilm areas of the Ag-Al alloy film. Possible mechanisms of reduced friction in easily oxidized Ag-Al system are discussed and the mechanism based on readily shearing basal planes of the hcp phase is considered as the most probable one.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Materialkemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Materials Chemistry (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Ag-Al alloy

TEM

EDX

hexagonal phase

electrical contact

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)