Optimisation of the tribological behaviour of molybdenum disulphide PVD coatings with regard to changing environmental conditions
Third party funded individual grant
Start date : 01.04.2010
End date : 31.03.2013
Project details
Scientific Abstract
The solid lubricant MoS2 can be used well in many cases where conventional oil or grease lubrication is out of the question. This is the case, for example, in cryogenics due to extremely low temperatures or in vacuum technology due to the low outgassing required there. The main problem with the use of MoS2 so far has been that friction and wear are very low in a vacuum environment, but increase considerably in normally humid air. If a lubricant for cryogenics or vacuum technology fails in a normal air environment, this is often an exclusion criterion for its use. Since neither a satisfactory solution for the problem exists to date nor the cause has been completely clarified, the planned project aims to further clarify the influence of the ambient medium on the friction properties of MoS2 and to reduce it by modifying the coating structure. Solution approaches result from the lower moisture sensitivity of layers produced by PVD processes, especially with basal orientation of the grid structure, and by metal doping. The suitability of these optimized coatings for cryogenics should be given special attention, since no lubricant with similarly favorable friction properties as MoS2 is available for use at low temperatures.
