The development of low inertia electromechanical devices requires new lubrication approaches to mitigate the effects of adhesion and wear. Surface micromachined silicon MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) represents one such class of devices, and effective lubrication of silicon surfaces has been previously demonstrated using equilibrium adsorption of alcohols from the vapor phase. Subsequent research has shown that molecules with acid or methyl termination can also act as vapor phase lubricants, and that wear can be mitigated with adsorbed films on a range of metal oxide surfaces, including those of technologically useful alloys. Vapor phase lubrication of steel, aluminum, and electrical contact alloys has been demonstrated in pin-on-disk sliding experiments in controlled atmospheres, with alcohols and with vapor species having a variety of other functionalities. The tribological behavior of these vapor phase lubricants adsorbed on silicon and engineering alloys will be described. Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Role of end group chemistry on vapor phase lubrication

244th National Meeting (2012)

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