Nb-B-C thin films for electrical contact applications deposited by magnetron sputtering

• The high wear resistance, high chemical inertness, and high electrical conductivity of magnetron-sputtered transition metal diborides (MeB2) make them a candidate material for sliding electrical contacts. However, their high hardness makes it difficult to penetrate surface oxides, resulting in a high electrical contact resistance. We have in this study investigated how the contact resistance can be improved by the formation of softer Nb-B-C films. The Nb-B-C films were deposited by magnetron sputtering and shown to exhibit a nanocomposite microstructure consisting of nanocrystalline NbB2-x grains with a solid solution of C separated by an amorphous BCx phase. The formation of the BCx phase reduces the hardness from 41 GPa for the NbB2-x film to 19 GPa at 36 at.% C. As a consequence the contact resistance is drastically reduced and the lowest contact resistance of 35 mΩ (contact force 5 N) is achieved for a film containing 30 at.% C. However, crack formation and subsequent delamination and fragmentation is observed for the C-containing Nb-B-C films in tribology tests resulting in high friction values for these films.

Ämnesord

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

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

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

boride

structural characterization

electrical properties

mechanical properties

friction

nanocomposite

Chemistry with specialization in Materials Chemistry

Kemi med inriktning mot materialkemi

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