Electrical Contact Properties of Nanostructured Carbon Films under Transverse Current-carrying Condition

doi:10.3901/JME.2023.17.258

Abstract

Abstract: For the two kinds of carbon films with amorphous and graphene nanocrystallite nanostructures, transverse current-carrying condition is formed when the conductive diamond tip contact with the carbon films. Stable mechanical and electrical properties were obtained for the graphene nanocrystallited carbon films under the mechanical-electrical coupling contact. The effect of current density on the mechanical properties is investigated. Results showed that the elastic modulus and hardness of amorphous carbon film increased with the current density due to the structural transformation, and graphene nanocrystallited carbon films exhibited stable mechanical properties because of the low atomic density and high electric conductivity. Electrical property study showed that heterojunction existed between the tip and the carbon films. With the increase of electric field strength, the potential barrier increased linearly. With the increase of load, the potential barrier increased for the amorphous carbon film with material strain, while it is stable for the graphene nanocrystallited carbon film since the energy band modulation is weak under the stress effect. Besides, ascribed to the high diffused conductivity, the current hysteresis effect was weakened during the unloading process of electrical contact. The outcomes provide a theoretical basis for the application of nanostructured carbon films on the surface of electrical contact devices.

Key words: carbon film, electrical contact, mechanical property, electrical property, nanostructure

CLC Number:

TH117

FAN Xue, WANG Gang, HU Zelong. Electrical Contact Properties of Nanostructured Carbon Films under Transverse Current-carrying Condition[J]. Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 2023, 59(17): 258-267.

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