Preparation and Tribological Properties of Self-assembled Polystyrene Film

The self assembling behavior of styrene vinyl triethoxylsilane copolymer was examined. The qualities of the polymer films made from the polymer solutions of different concentrations in toluene were investigated by means of static water contact angle measurement, ellipsometric thickness measurement, surface composition analysis, and atomic force microscopic observation of the surface morphology. The friction and wear behavior of the self assembled film sliding against AISI 52100 steel was examined. It was found that the quality of the self assembled ultra thin polymer films is closely dependent on the concentration of the polymer solutions from which the film is prepared. This in turn leads to change in the friction and wear behavior of the self assembled ultra thin polymer films. The self assembled polymer films register low friction coefficient and long antiwear life in sliding against AISI 52100 steel, as compared with the silicon substrate. Thus they could be potential candidates as the friction reducing and wear resistant protective layers of Si based elements in micro systems.