Strength measurement and rupture mechanisms of a micron thick nanocrystalline MoS2 coating using AFM based micro-bending tests

Guillaume Colas (1) , Peter Serles (2) , Aurélien Saulot (3) , Tobin Filleter (2)

1 FEMTO-ST - Franche-Comté Électronique Mécanique, Thermique et Optique - Sciences et Technologies (UMR 6174)
2 Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering - University of Toronto
3 LaMCoS - Laboratoire de Mécanique des Contacts et des Structures [Villeurbanne]

The present study focuses on the measurement of mechanical properties of a 1.1 μm thick nanocrystalline MoS2 coating deposited by magnetron sputtering with a particular interest in the strength of the coating. Mechanical strength is one of the most important properties to best predict failure of the coating, especially in the case of dry contact lubricated systems in which the coating of interest is often used. An Atomic Force Microscope based micro-bending experiment was developed to measure the rupture strength of MoS2 micro cantilever-beams directly milled in the coating using a Focused Ion Beam. Rupture strength of the MoS2 coatings was measured to be 728 ± 88 MPa. Comparisons with nanoindentation was used to validate the micro-bending technique via the statistically indifferent measurement of the Young’s modulus: 63.1 ± 5.0 GPa and 64.5 ± 4.0 GPa respectively. In depth study of the fractured beam surface and the microstructure of the coating revealed that the surface roughness and the crystallite size can be directly correlated to the rupture pattern. The crack was additionally shown to propagate within the nanocrystalline network existing in the coating. Parallels with the tribological behaviour of the coating are drawn and further confirm the lubrication mechanism described in previous studies.

Domaines: Mécanique [physics]

Guillaume Colas, Peter Serles, Aurélien Saulot, Tobin Filleter. Strength measurement and rupture mechanisms of a micron thick nanocrystalline MoS2 coating using AFM based micro-bending tests. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 2019, 128, pp.151 - 161. ⟨hal-02160926⟩