Manufacture and characterization of Boron Oxide solid lubricant using RF
magnetron sputtering at low-vacuumCharacterization of boron based coatings on Silicon substrate, the manufacturing issues
arising form boron coating manufacturing, and noble solutions to resolving the problems.
Introduction
Coating Technology– Metal Coatings– Diamond-like carbon
(DLC)– Boron Coatings
Manufacturing methods– Chemical Vapor
Deposition– Electroplating– Radio Frequency
Magnetic Sputtering
Boron Coatings
• Types– Boron Oxides– Boron Nitrides
• Hexagonal BN• Cubic BN
– Boron Carbide– Boron nitrogen carbon
(BNC)• Advantages– Thermal Stability– Chemical Stability
Radio Frequency Magnetic Sputtering
• Advantages– High-melting Point
Materials– Top-down
manufacturing– Low maintenance– High adhesion– High reproducibility
Initial Idea
• Boron Coatings– Clear advantages over
DLC coatings– Very little fundamental
research– Possible compatibility
with carbon for hybrid coating systems
• Applications– Steel/Iron based tooling– High-temperature
Applications– Possible use as a
intermediate layer for DLC applications
Problems Encountered
• Reproducibility• Control of environment• Manufacturing
parameters• Measurement of
manufacturing variables• Boron coating chemical
stability• Residual stresses
Applied Solutions
• Multiple-layer manufacturing
• Extra measurement equipment
• Addition of Carbon interlayer
Manufactured FilmsFilms manufactured had a variety of different possible modifiers. As such, it was decided on the following manufacturing vectors:– Gas composition– Pressure– Distance– Substrate Bias– Self-Bias– Interlayer– Multi-layer application
Methods of Characterization
• Friction Test• Profilometry• Raman Spectroscopy• Scanning Electron
Microscopy (SEM)• Auger Electron
Spectroscopy (AES)
Physical Characteristics
• Reactivity with atmosphere
• Low material strength• High wear rate• Small friction coefficient
reduction• Interesting optical
characteristics– Fluorescence
• High impurity content
Conclusion
• Reduction of residual stresses by multi-layer application
• Ease of manufacture by established methods• Possibility of manufacturing and modifying
desired molecular structure
Further Work
• Establishing explanation for optical properties
• Modifying manufacturing method to reduce impurities
• Testing in high pressure and high temperature environments
• Testing on steel/iron substrates
• Optimization of manufacturing parameters
• Development of BNC coating and characterization
• Determining density of coatings
References
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