Application of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes on burnishing slider in cleaning process of magnetic disk surfaces

The feasibility of using vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on a burnishing slider in the cleaning process of a magnetic disk surface was studied. Vertically aligned CNTs on SiC flat sliders were grown by the SiC surface decomposition method. Burnishing sliders with different CNT lengths were prepared for friction measurement on magnetic disks and for the burnishing test. Non-lubricated vertically aligned CNTs sliding on non-lubricated magnetic disks resulted in large friction; however, coating the CNTs and the disks with a perfluoropolyether lubricant film dramatically decreased the friction force. In addition, it was found that a specific amount of lubricant was needed on the CNTs to decrease the friction force and that the friction force depended on the CNT length. The particle burnishing test indicated that the 34-nm-long CNT burnishing slider with a rinsed lubricant film showed good burnishing performance.