Advanced Solid Lubricant Films by Ion-Beam Assisted Deposition.
Abstract
NRL is developing advanced solid lubricating films for bearing assemblies. The films are deposited by ion-beam assisted deposition (IBAD) to thickness that can be controlled from 0.02 micrometers (1 micron inch) to greater than or equal to 1 micrometer (40 microns inch). Unlike evaporated or sputter-deposited films, IBAD films are dense and adhere well to virtually all solid surfaces. Durable films have been deposited on bearing steels, Ti alloys and many ceramic substrates, including Si3N4, alumina, SiC, TiN and CVD diamond. IBAD's multibeam capabilities have also been exploited to produce binary and ternary alloys over a wide range of stoichiometries. Studies of two solid lubricating films, MoS2 and ternary metal oxides, will be highlighted. IBAD MoS2 films exhibit reduced susceptibility to moisture degradation during storage. Alloyed MoS2 films show increased durability in sliding and rolling contact without sacrificing the ultra-low friction behavior of MoS2. For high temperatures, a class of binary metal oxide films are being investigated. Candidate lubricants have been chosen based on tribological behavior of oxide and predictions from thermodynamic phase diagrams. A recent study of the Cu-Mo-O system will be presented.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 28, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA288866
Entities
People
- Irwin L. Singer
- Kathryn Wahl
- Larry E. Seitzman
- Marshall B. Peterson
- Robert N. Bolster
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory