Nanotribology studies of carbon surfaces by force microscopy

The frictional properties of different types of carbon surfaces, graphite, diamond, hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C), and C60 buckminsterfullerene, are studied in air at low loads (below 1.5 μN) by friction force microscopy. The different types of carbons have frictional coefficients varying from 0.01 to 0.8, demonstrating the ability of friction force microscopy to distinguish between the different types of carbon. For a-C carbon on a magnetic disk surface, the surface topography greatly influences the observed friction, complicating the interpretation of the friction force for this practical surface. © 1993.