Abstract: A sliding film includes a solid lubricant, a binder resin, and a low-melting-point material. The binder resin is for holding the solid lubricant on a surface of a substrate, and exhibits a glass transition temperature. The low-melting-point material exhibits a melting point lower than the glass transition temperature of the binder resin. The low-melting-point material demonstrates a latent heat which can absorb frictional heat generated between sliding members, and accordingly retards the degradation of the binder resin. As a result, the sliding film produces high seizure resistance.

Abstract: This aims to provide a wear-resistant copper-based alloy, which is advantages in not only enhancing wear resistance in a high temperature range but also enhancing crack resistance and machinability and which is especially suitable for forming a cladding layer. The wear-resistant copper-based alloy comprises, by weight, 4.7 to 22.0% nickel, 0.5 to 5.0% silicon, 2.7 to 22.0% iron, 1.0 to 15.0% chromium, 0.01 to 2.00% cobalt, 2.7 to 22.0% one or more of tantalum, titanium, zirconium and hafnium, and the balance of copper with inevitable impurities.

Abstract: A drive force transmission device has an outer clutch plate and an inner clutch plate, which are rotatable relative to each other about a common rotational axis. The inner and outer clutch plates become frictionally engaged with each other with lubricant oil provided in between. The outer and inner clutch plates each have a sliding surface. The sliding surfaces face each other. A diamond-like carbon film is formed on the sliding surface of the outer clutch plate. Fine grooves are formed in the sliding surface of the inner clutch plate. The proportion of the sliding area to the sliding surface of the inner clutch plate at the initial stage of use is 55 to 90%.

Abstract: An amorphous-carbon coated member includes a conductive substrate, and an amorphous carbon film. The amorphous carbon film is fixed onto a part of a surface of the substrate at least, and includes a compositionally gradient film. The compositionally gradient film has an outer side and a substrate side, and is composed of carbon, silicon and hydrogen. The silicon concentration inclines continuously from the lowest to the highest in the direction away from the outer side to the substrate side. The hydrogen concentration inclines continuously from the highest to the lowest in the direction away from the outer side to the substrate side. The amorphous-carbon coated member exhibits not only good wear resistance but also low aggressiveness against mating member simultaneously.

Abstract: A semiconductor element heat dissipating member is provided which has excellent heat dissipation characteristics and adhesion characteristics and enables production of a semiconductor device at a low cost. A semiconductor device using the same, and a method of producing the same are also provided. The semiconductor element heat dissipating member has a conductive substrate and an electrically insulating amorphous carbon film containing hydrogen, and the electrically insulating amorphous carbon film is formed at least on a region of the conductive substrate on which region a semiconductor element is to be mounted.

Abstract: A sliding film includes a solid lubricant, a binder resin, and a low-melting-point material. The binder resin is for holding the solid lubricant on a surface of a substrate, and exhibits a glass transition temperature. The low-melting-point material exhibits a melting point lower than the glass transition temperature of the binder resin. The low-melting-point material demonstrates a latent heat which can absorb frictional heat generated between sliding members, and accordingly retards the degradation of the binder resin. As a result, the sliding film produces high seizure resistance.

Abstract: A low-friction sliding member is used under a wet condition employing a lubricant, and includes a substrate having a surface, and an amorphous hard carbon film formed on the surface of the substrate for contacting slidably with a mating member. The amorphous hard carbon film includes silicon in an amount of from 1 atomic % or more to 20 atomic % or less, hydrogen in an amount of from 20 atomic % or more to 50 atomic % or less, and the balance of carbon and inevitable impurities, when the entirety is taken as 100 atomic %, and exhibits a surface roughness Rzjis of 0.8 ?m or less. The low-friction sliding member exhibits reduced friction coefficients between itself and mating members, without relying on the adsorption and reaction of additives, included in lubricants, to the amorphous hard carbon films.

Abstract: To provide a soft amorphous carbon exhibiting a low elastic modulus, an amorphous-carbon coated member provided with a coated film comprising the amorphous carbon, and a process for forming an amorphous carbon film. The amorphous carbon comprises carbon as a major component and hydrogen in an amount of from more than 30 atomic % to 60 atomic % or less, and exhibits an elastic modulus of from 40 or more to 150 GPa or less. Moreover, the amorphous-carbon coated member comprises a conductive substrate, and a coated film fixed on at least a part of a surface of the substrate and composed of the amorphous carbon. In addition, in a process for forming the amorphous-carbon coated film, an amorphous carbon film is formed on a surface of conductive substrates by a plasma CVD method.

Abstract: Under wet sliding conditions using drivetrain system lubricating oils, a high frictional sliding member exhibiting a high friction coefficient, a favorable &mgr;-v characteristic stably, excellent wear resistance, and low mating-member aggressiveness is provided. The present invention is a wet sliding member comprising: a substrate composed of metal, ceramics, or resin; and an amorphous hard carbon film formed integrally on a surface of the substrate, having a surface, at least a part of which is turned into a sliding surface for sliding under wet conditions, and containing at least either one of Si and N in an amount of from 1 to 50 atomic %.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a sliding member which sustains lubricating characteristics given to the sliding surface over a long period of time to maintain the low friction coefficient and durability.

Abstract: A friction clutch includes an iron inner clutch plate and two iron outer clutch plates. Each clutch plate has a sliding surface that friction-engages with the other clutch plates. A diamond-like carbon film containing silicon, which functions as a solid lubricant, is formed on the sliding surface of each outer clutch plate through a conventional method such as plasma chemical vapor deposition. The diamond-like carbon film contains 1 wt % to 80 wt % of silicon. A coupling device includes a pilot clutch mechanism that has the friction clutch and an electromagnetic actuator. As a result, the friction clutch has an improved resistance to wear, and the coupling device is durable.

Abstract: This invention provides a covered member which possesses a high bond strength of a base material and a covering film, and has a smooth surface. The covered member comprises a base material and a covering film and the surface of the base material to be covered with the covering film is characterized by an uneven surface having projections with an average height in the range from 10 to 100 nm and an average width of not more than 300 nm. The uneven surface can be formed by ion impacting. A surface of a covering film formed on that is smooth since the unevenness of the surface is extremely fine.

Abstract: A wear-resistant coated member comprising 26 to 80% by weight of silicon (Si), additional components if required and necessary, the remainder being aluminum (Al), and unavoidable impurities, wherein Si is in a fine particle, and has an average particle size in the range of 0.01 to less than 10 .mu.m, and Al matrix and 3% by weight or more of Si form solid solutions. The wear-resistant coated member has excellent wear resistance and machinability.

Abstract: A method for surface treatment in which a fluidizable powder mixture consisting of a powder of a refractory material, and a surface layer-forming powder of a metal, or alloy or both is fluidized by a fluidizing gas supplied through a gas distributor to form above the gas distributor a fluidized bed in which a surface layer is formed on the material to be treated under heating in the presence of a halide. A layer of coarse particles is disposed between the fluidized bed and the gas distributor, and the coarse particles have a mean diameter, D(m), as defined below:(1650V.mu./PG).sup.1/2 <D<6.5dwhereV: velocity of the fluidizing gas (m/s);.mu.: viscosity coefficient of the fluidizing gas (kg/m.multidot.s);P: mean density of the coarse particles (kg/m.sup.3);G: acceleration of gravity (9.8 m/s.sup.2);d: mean particle diameter of the surface layer-forming powder (m).

Abstract: A nitride or carbonitride layer is formed on the surface of a metal material as follows: A treating agent composed of a refractory powder of alumina or the like and a powder of a metal for forming a nitride or a carbide or an alloy thereof is disposed in a fluidized bed furnace; the treating agent is fluidized to form a fluidized bed by introducing an inert gas; the fluidized bed furnace is heated to a temperature of not higher than 700.degree. C.; an activator of a halogenated ammonium salt is intermittently supplied into the fluidized bed at a rate of 0.001 to 5 wt %/hour based on the total amount of the treating agent; and the metal material to be treated is disposed in the fluidized bed during or after any of the above steps. For example, a nitride layer composed of only a metal for forming a nitride which contains almost no Fe--N is formed on the surface of iron steel even at a temperature as low as not higher than 700.degree. C.

Abstract: A process for ion nitriding aluminum material which comprises the steps of placing an object of aluminum or aluminum alloy for treatment in a closed vessel; evacuating residual oxygen gas from said closed vessel; charging said closed vessel with a heating gas and inducing discharges in said closed vessel, thereby heating the surface of the object for treatment to a prescribed nitriding temperature; charging said closed vessel with a surface-roughening gas composed of a rare gas and 5-2000 ppm of a gas containing at least one element of oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon, and roughening the surface of the object for treatment by means of glow discharges or ion beams in the atmosphere of said surface roughening gas; and charging said closed vessel with a nitriding gas and simultaneously inducing glow discharges in said closed vessel, thereby forming a nitride layer on the surface of the object for treatment.

Abstract: A process for ion nitriding aluminum or an aluminum alloy as an article to be treated, in which: the article is disposed in a sealed vessel; the oxygen gas in the vessel is removed; the surface of the article is heated to a prescribed nitriding temperature; the surface of the article is activated to facilitate the formation of an aluminum nitride layer by the subsequent nitriding treatment; and thereafter the article is subjected to ion nitriding, thereby forming an aluminum nitride layer having excellent wear resistance and high hardness. This ion nitriding treatment for aluminum material can be carried out even at temperatures lower than a solution treatment temperature of aluminum material.

Abstract: A process for ion nitriding of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and an apparatus therefor, wherein aluminum or an aluminum alloy as an article to be treated is disposed on a substrate holder provided in a sealed container. A predetermined metal having an intensive affinity for oxygen is also disposed in the vicinity of the article to be treated, and a glow discharge is operated between an electrode provided in the sealed container as an anode and the substrate holder as a cathode. The electrode may be directly provided at the sealed container itself or it may be independently provided therein. According to the process and apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to form on the surface of aluminum or an aluminum alloy an aluminum nitride layer having an intensive adhesion to a substrate thereof, high hardness and excellent wear resistance.