Development of Tribo-Coating Lubrication Method for the Space Machines and Its Application

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New technique - TRIBO-COATING of a solid lubricant - was introduced in order to provide a relatively wear-less friction conditions in ultra high vacuum. According to this method solid lubricant is evaporating during the process of sliding and depositing on the friction surfaces.The purpose of this research was to show main advantages of this technique and its possibility to apply rolling bearing in high vacuum from the view points of low and stable friction and its endless life.The following main results were obtained:(1) Under practical friction conditions of contact pressure and sliding velocity for space machine, effective value of friction coefficient less than 0.15 could be obtained by tribo-coating of indium.(2) The tribo-coating of indium gave three-five times smaller friction coefficient than that of conventional soft metal coating as solid lubricant(3) Friction coefficient could be controlled to keep low by in-situ tribo-coating of indium. Re-tribo-coating could decrease friction coefficient comparison with that of first tribo-coating. The minimum friction coefficient of 0.018 was observed by using re-tribo-coating of indium in the friction couple of silicon nitride against stainless steel.(4) Possibility of the application of tribo-coating to rolling bearings was proved. The friction coefficient of the rolling bearing with tribo-coating film was 0.005 or less. This value is almost same as that of conventional solid lubricant such as ion-plated Ag film.(5) In the case of hybrid bearing with stainless steel races and silicon nitride balls, stable and low friction of 0.0015 could be kept until 10ィイD17ィエD1 cycles with two times tribo-coating of indium.