Solid Lubrication Studied by Optical Means
Abstract
The well-known and unwelcome phenomenon of the formation of carbon or coke on the surfaces of some clay and clay-supported transition metal cracking and dehydrogenation catalysts used in petroleum refining was applied to developed a process for the lubrication of tribo-surfaces at high temperatures by continuously regenerated surface carbon derived from flow of ethylene gas. Measurements with a pin-on-disc tribometer showed an immediate reduction of friction (from as high as 0.6 to as low as 0.05) and wear for nickel, palladium, ceramics coated with these metals and for bare silicon carbide and nitride at temperatures between 400 and 650 C and 0.2 MPa average Hertzian pressures, as soon as ethylene was introduced into the conjunction region. The environment could be air under ambient conditions. The carbon deposits were analyzed by Auger and Raman spectroscopy and ellipsometry and found to be generally about 400 A thick and microcrystalline graphite or vitreous.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 31, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA209008
Entities
People
- James L. Lauer
Organizations
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute