Nano-multilayered ZrN‒Ag/Mo‒S‒N film design for stable anti-frictional performance at a wide range of temperatures

A multilayer film,composed by ZrN‒Ag(20 nm)and Mo‒S‒N(10 nm)layers,combining the intrinsic lubricant characteristics of each layer was deposited using DC magnetron sputtering system,to promote lubrication in a wide-range of temperatures.The results showed that the ZrN‒Ag/Mo‒S‒N multilayer film exhibited a sharp interface between the different layers.A face-centered cubic(fcc)dual-phases of ZrN and Ag co-existed in the ZrN‒Ag layers,whilst the Mo‒S‒N layers displayed a mixture of hexagonal close-packed MoS_(2)(hcp-MoS_(2))nano-particles and an amorphous phase.The multilayer film exhibited excellent room temperature(RT)triblogical behavior,as compared to the individual monolayer film,due to the combination of a relative high hardness with the low friction properties of both layers.The reorientation of MoS_(2)parallel to the sliding direction also contributed to the enhanced anti-frictional performance at RT.At 400℃,the reorientation of MoS_(2)as well as the formation of MoO_(3)phase were responsible for the lubrication,whilst the hard t-ZrO_(2)phase promoted abrasion and,consequently,led to increasing wear rate.At 600℃,the Ag_(2)MoO_(4)double-metal oxide was the responsible for the low friction and wear-resistance;furthermore,the observed transformation from t-ZrO_(2)to m-ZrO_(2),could also have contributed to the better tribological performance.