Mechanism of Lubrication for Solid Carbon Materials in Vacuum to 10−9Millimeter of Mercury

Abstract

The friction and wear characteristics of various carbon materials sliding on metals and aluminum oxide were determined in vacuum at ambient pressures from 760 to 10⁻⁹ mm Hg. The friction and wear experiments were conducted with a hemispherically tipped carbon rider, under a load of 1000 gm, sliding on various disks rotating at a speed of 390 ft per minute. The results of this investigation show that additional research on carbon in vacuum is warranted. Adsorbed surface films present on both carbons and metal, as well as the presence of oxide on metals, appreciably influenced the friction and wear obtained with carbons in vacuum. Some impregnants were beneficial in reducing friction and wear of carbon in vacuum while others were not.