Relation between Self-Organization and Wear Mechanisms of Diamond Films

The study deals with tribological properties of diamond films that were tested under reciprocal sliding conditions against Si₃N₄ balls. Adhesive and abrasive wear are explained in terms of nonequilibrium thermodynamic model of friction and wear. Surface roughness alteration and film deformation induce instabilities in the tribological system, therefore self-organization can occur. Instabilities can lead to an increase of the real contact area between the ball and film, resulting in the seizure between the sliding counterparts (degenerative case of self-organization). However, the material cannot withstand the stress and collapses due to high friction forces, thus this regime of sliding corresponds to the adhesive wear. In contrast, a decrease of the real contact area leads to the decrease of the coefficient of friction (constructive self-organization). However, it results in a contact pressure increase on the top of asperities within the contact zone, followed by material collapse, i.e., abrasive wear. Mentioned wear mechanisms should be distinguished from the self-lubricating properties of diamond due to the formation of a carbonaceous layer.