Accession Number:

ADA191057

Title:

The Performance of Perfluoropolyalkylether Oils Under Boundary Lubrication Conditions

Descriptive Note:

Technical rept.

Corporate Author:

AEROSPACE CORP EL SEGUNDO CA CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS LAB

Personal Author(s):

• Carre, David J.

Report Date:

1988-02-15

Pagination or Media Count:

23.0

Abstract:

Perfluoropolyalkylether PFPE oils and oil-based greases are being used with increasing frequency on spacecraft as a result of their purported outstanding properties. We demonstrated that, under boundary lubrication, these materials degrade by way of an autocatalytic mechanism. As a result, they have serious limitations in this tribological regime primarily because of the inability of the PFPE fluids to dissolve antiwear additives. To augment the fundamental studies, a series of wear tests comparing PFPE oils and greases with hydrocarbon fluids under boundary conditions were performed. As predicted, the performances of the PFPE fluids were below that of the hydrocarbon fluids. The results of the wear tests are discussed in terms of the effect of additives on the PFPE degradation mechanism and the overall usefulness of the PFPE fluids under boundary lubrication conditions. Keywords Antiwear additives, Boundary conditions, Perfluoropolyalkylether, Synthetic oils, Wear tests, Lubricants.

Descriptors:

• *ETHERS
• *WEAR RESISTANCE
• *LUBRICATION
• TEST METHODS
• BOUNDARY LAYER
• BOUNDARIES
• HYDROCARBONS
• ADDITIVES
• BEARINGS
• GREASES
• OILS
• LUBRICANTS
• ALKYL RADICALS
• DEGRADATION
• FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
• TEST AND EVALUATION
• SPACECRAFT

Subject Categories:

• Lubricants and Hydraulic Fluids

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE