SLIDING MEMBER
Problems to be solved: To provide a sliding member capable of achieving low friction properties and low wearing properties under dry conditions (i.e., in the absence of a lubricant). Solution: A sliding member including: a sliding-element 1; and a sliding-element 2 which serves as a counterbody to the sliding-element 1, in which the sliding-element 1 is made of oxide ceramics and the sliding-element 2 is made of a thin film containing hydrogen and sp 3 /sp 2 -hybridized carbon. Advantages: The sliding member achieves low friction properties and low wearing properties and in which the friction coefficient is unrelated to the sliding speed.
1 . A sliding member comprising:
a sliding-element 1 ; and
a sliding-element 2 which serves as a counterbody to the sliding-element 1 ,
wherein the sliding-element 1 includes a sliding-surface made of oxide ceramics, and
the sliding-element 2 includes a sliding-surface made of a thin film containing hydrogen and sp 3 /sp 2 -hybridized carbon.
2 . The sliding member according to claim 1 , wherein tribological overlap ratios of the sliding-element 1 and the sliding-element 2 are 100% in the sliding-element 1 and less than 100% in the sliding-element 2 .
3 . The sliding member according to claim 1 , wherein the oxide ceramics of the sliding-element 1 are a monolithic body or a thin film.
4 . The sliding member according to claim 1 , wherein the oxide ceramics of the sliding-element 1 are made of one or more of the oxide ceramics selected from stabilized zirconia, titanium dioxide containing titania of Magneli phase, alumina, and zirconia-toughened alumina.
5 . The sliding member according to claim 1 , wherein the sliding-surface of the sliding-element 1 has a surface roughness Ra of 2.0 μm or less.
6 . The sliding member according to claim 1 ,
wherein the thin film of the sliding-element 2 is made of hydrogen and sp 3 /sp 2 -hybridized carbon, and
sp 3 /(sp 2 +sp 3 ) is greater than 40 atomic %.
7 . The sliding member according to claim 1 , wherein the thin film of the sliding-element 2 is made of amorphous hard carbon containing hydrogenated amorphous carbon.
8 . The sliding member according to claim 1 , wherein the sliding-surface of the sliding-element 2 has a surface roughness Ra of 2.0 μm or less.
9 . The sliding member according to claim 1 , wherein the sliding-element 2 includes a metal base material selected from iron, steel, an iron alloy, aluminum, or an aluminum alloy, and a thin film made on the surface thereof.
10 . The sliding member according to claim 1 , wherein the thin film of the sliding-element 2 includes an inclined layer which contains metal and the content thereof is decreased toward the surface, and a surface layer is made of hydrogen and sp 3 /sp 2 -hybridized carbon.
11 . The sliding member according to claim 1 , wherein the thin film of the sliding-element 2 includes an inclined layer which includes one or more metals selected from chromium, tungsten, and titanium and the content thereof is decreased toward the surface and a surface layer is made of hydrogen and sp 3 /sp 2 -hybridized carbon.
12 . The sliding member according to claim 1 wherein the sliding member has properties that a friction rate or a wear rate does not depend on sliding speed.
13 . The sliding member according to claim 1 wherein the sliding member exhibits low friction properties and low wearing properties in an oxidizing atmosphere.