High Resolution Vibrational Spectroscopy of Vapor Phase Lubrication on Ceramics
Abstract
A High Resolution Electron Energy Loss Spectrometer (HREELS) has been purchased to allow detailed study of the surface chemistry of vapor phase lubricants on both metal and ceramic surfaces. The most commonly used types of vapor phase lubricants are the aryl-phosphates such as tricresylphosphate (TCP). These react with metal surfaces at high temperatures to form solid films that are capable of lubricating at temperatures as high as 500- 600 deg C. The mechanisms by which vapor phase lubricants react to form these lubricious films are key to their success as high temperature lubricants but are not well understood. One of the reasons is that they are more complex than most of the types of compounds typically used in studies of surface chemistry. As a result there are many possible pathways by which they can react and many possible intermediates that might be formed in those reaction mechanisms. Unraveling this complex chemistry requires high resolution spectroscopy that can be used to resolve spectral features and distinguish between species on the surface during TCP reaction. The HREELS spectrometer purchased with the funding that has been provided by this DURIP grant has state-of-the-art resolution for performing vibrational spectroscopy of species on surfaces.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA407585
Entities
People
- Andrew J. Gellman
Organizations
- Carnegie Mellon University