WEAR OF SELECTED MATERIALS AND COMPOSITES SLIDING AGAINST MOS2 FILMS

Improved vacuum deposition methods are now available to produce dense, suitably oriented, durable films of molybdenum disulfide on substrate s appropriate for tribological applications. It is of interest to exam ine materials in sliding contact with such films in order to identify optimum combinations, and to improve further tribological performance of the system. Results of wear and friction measurements are presented on a number of materials including self-lubricating composites slidin g against four different types of vacuum-deposited MoS2 films. The tes ting program utilized a controlled environment, pin-on-ring tribometer , with load and speed conditions appropriate to a possible application . Differences in wear over four orders of magnitude, and friction up t o a factor of seven times, were measured among the materials. One appl ication area of interest for these material combinations would be as b all retainers in rolling element bearings for space satellite systems.