Tribological performance of diamond and diamondlike carbon films at elevated temperatures

In this study, we investigated the tribological performance of diamond and diamondlike carbon (DLC) films as a function of ambient temperature. Both films were deposited on silicon carbide (SiC) by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition and ion-beam deposition processes. Tribological tests were performed on a reciprocating wear machine in open air (20 to 30% relative humidity) and under a 10-N load using SiC pins. For the test conditions explored, the steady- state friction coefficients of test pairs without a diamond or DLC film were 0.7 to 0.9 and the average wear rates of pins were 10{sup {minus}5} to 10{sup {minus}7} mm{sup 3}/N.m, depending on ambient temperature. DLC films reduced the steady-state friction coefficients of test pairs by factors of 3 to 5 and the wear rates of pins by two to three orders of magnitude. Low friction coefficients were also obtained with the diamond films, but wear rates of the counterface pins were high due to the very abrasive nature of these films. The wear of SiC disks coated with either diamond or DLC films was virtually unmeasurable while the wear of uncoated disks was substantial. Test results showed that the DLC films could afford low friction up to about 300{degrees}C. At higher temperatures, the DLC films became graphitized and were removed from the surface. The diamond films could withstand much higher temperatures, but their tribological behavior degraded. Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to elucidate the friction and wear mechanisms of both films at high temperatures

Development of lubricious coatings for advanced turbine engine applications

Development of durable and low-cost high-temperature lubricants for use in gas-turbine regenerator cores is critically important for achieving improved performance and fuel-efficiency in future automotive and hybrid-electric vehicles. Successful development and implementation of such coatings could have substantial technological and economic impacts on energy conservation and could reduce dependence on imported oil. Furthermore, this technology may also contribute to a cleaner environment by reducing emissions. Argonne National Laboratory is exploring new oxide-based lubricious coatings that can meet the stringent tribological conditions of advanced regenerator cores and seals. One of the key elements of this project involves the development of new ceramic and alloy coatings that will reduce friction and wear at temperatures up to 2,000 F. This paper will highlight the recent research in high-temperature lubrication and in the development of new and improved carbon-carbon and carbon-polyimide based composites that can be used at temperatures up to 1,100 F

Boundary film for structural ceramic materials

Structural ceramic materials, like metals, will require lubrication if they are to be used extensively for tribological applications. The use of thin soft metallic coatings (specifically Ag) as a boundary film during mineral oil lubrication of silicon nitride (Si[sub 3]N[sub 4]) and zirconia (ZrO[sub 2]) ceramic materials was investigated in this study. With a pin-on-flat contact configuration in reciprocating sliding, the steady friction coefficient was reduced by a factor of 2 (0.14 [minus]0.16 vs. 0.06--0.07) when the flats were coated with Ag. Also, with Ag coatings the wear of pins was reduced to an unmeasurable level, whereas, in the absence of Ag coatings specific wear rates of [approx]2 [times] 10[sup [minus]9] -- 4 [times] 10[sup [minus]8] mm[sup 3]/Nm and [approx]7 [times] 10[sup [minus]8] -- 2 [times] 10[sup [minus]7] mm[sup 3]/Nm were measured for Si[sub 3]N[sub 4] and ZrO[sub 2] pins respectively. In addition to preventing direct contact between pins and flats, thereby reducing wear, the Ag coatings also act as a solid lubricant, help dissipate flash heating, and accelerate modification of the [lambda] ratio

Thyroid Hormone Receptor Beta in the Ventromedial Hypothalamus Is Essential for the Physiological Regulation of Food Intake and Body Weight.

The obesity epidemic is a significant global health issue. Improved understanding of the mechanisms that regulate appetite and body weight will provide the rationale for the design of anti-obesity therapies. Thyroid hormones play a key role in metabolic homeostasis through their interaction with thyroid hormone receptors (TRs), which function as ligand-inducible transcription factors. The TR-beta isoform (TRβ) is expressed in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), a brain area important for control of energy homeostasis. Here, we report that selective knockdown of TRβ in the VMH of adult mice results in severe obesity due to hyperphagia and reduced energy expenditure. The observed increase in body weight is of a similar magnitude to murine models of the most extreme forms of monogenic obesity. These data identify TRβ in the VMH as a major physiological regulator of food intake and energy homeostasis

Synthesis of superlow-friction carbon films from highly hydrogenated methane plasmas

In this study, we investigated the friction and wear performance of diamondlike carbon films (DLC) derived from increasingly hydrogenated methane plasmas. The films were deposited on steel substrates by a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition process at room temperature and the tribological tests were performed in dry nitrogen. Tests results revealed a close correlation between the hydrogen in source gas plasma and the friction and wear coefficients of the DLC films. Specifically, films grown in plasmas with higher hydrogen-to-carbon ratios had much lower friction coefficients and wear rates than did films derived from source gases with lower hydrogen-to-carbon ratios. The lowest friction coefficient (0.003) was achieved with a film derived from 25% methane--75% hydrogen, while a coefficient of 0.015 was found for films derived from pure methane. Similar correlations were observed for wear rates. Films derived from hydrogen-rich plasmas had the least wear, while films derived from pure methane suffered the highest wear. We used a combination of surface analytical methods to characterize the structure and chemistry of the DLC films and worn surfaces

TESS Delivers Five New Hot Giant Planets Orbiting Bright Stars from the Full-frame Images

We present the discovery and characterization of five hot and warm Jupiters - TOI-628 b (TIC 281408474; HD 288842), TOI-640 b (TIC 147977348), TOI-1333 b (TIC 395171208, BD+47 3521A), TOI-1478 b (TIC 409794137), and TOI-1601 b (TIC 139375960) - based on data from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). The five planets were identified from the full-frame images and were confirmed through a series of photometric and spectroscopic follow-up observations by the TESS Follow-up Observing Program Working Group. The planets are all Jovian size (R P = 1.01-1.77 R J) and have masses that range from 0.85 to 6.33 M J. The host stars of these systems have F and G spectral types (5595 ≤ T eff ≤ 6460 K) and are all relatively bright (9.5 1.7 R J, possibly a result of its host star's evolution) and resides on an orbit with a period longer than 5 days. TOI-628 b is the most massive, hot Jupiter discovered to date by TESS with a measured mass of 6.31-0.30+0.28 M J and a statistically significant, nonzero orbital eccentricity of e = 0.074-0.022+0.021. This planet would not have had enough time to circularize through tidal forces from our analysis, suggesting that it might be remnant eccentricity from its migration. The longest-period planet in this sample, TOI-1478 b (P = 10.18 days), is a warm Jupiter in a circular orbit around a near-solar analog. NASA's TESS mission is continuing to increase the sample of well-characterized hot and warm Jupiters, complementing its primary mission goals

Multiyear Program Plan: Reducing Friction and Wear in Heavy Vehicles

As described in its multiyear program plan for 1998-2000, the Office of Heavy Vehicle Technologies (OHVT) envisions the development of a fuel-flexible, energy-efficient, near-zero-emissions, heavy-duty U.S. diesel engine technology devolving into all truck classes as a real and viable strategy for reducing energy requirements for commercial transport services and the rapidly growing multipurpose vehicle market (pickups, vans, and sport utility vehicles). Implementation of the OHVT program plan will have significant national benefits in energy savings, cleaner air, more jobs, and increased gross domestic product (GDP). Successful implementation will reduce the petroleum consumption of Class 1-8 trucks by 1.4 million barrels of oil per day by 2020 and over 1.8 million by 2030, amounting to a reduction in highway petroleum consumption of 13.2% and 18.6%, respectively. All types of regulated emissions will be reduced, that is, 20% drop in PM10 emissions (41,000 metric tons per year) by 203 0, 17% reduction in CO2 greenhouse gases (205 million metric tons per year), 7% reduction in NOx, 20% reduction in NMHC, and 30% reduction in CO. An increase of 15,000 jobs by 2020 is expected, as is an increase of $24 billion in GDP. The strategy of OHVT is to focus primarily on the diesel engine since it has numerous advantages. It has the highest efficiency of any engine today, 45% versus 30% for production gasoline engines; and it can be made more efficient at least to 55% and possibly up to 63%. It is the engine of choice for heavy vehicles (trucks), because it offers power, efficiency, durability, and reliability and is used extensively in rail, marine, and off-road applications. Its emission can be ultra-low to near zero, and the production infrastructure is already in place. The primary goals of OHVT are as follows: (1) Develop by 2002 the diesel-engine enabling technologies to support large-scale industry dieselization of light trucks, achieving a 35% fuel efficiency improvement over equivalent gasoline-fueled trucks. (2) Develop by 2004 the enabling technology for a Class 7-8 truck with a fuel efficiency of 10 mpg (at 65 mph) that will meet prevailing emission standards, using either diesel or a liquid alternative fuel. (3) Develop by 2006 diesel engines with fuel flexibility and a thermal efficiency of 55% with liquid alternative fuels, and a thermal efficiency of 55% with dedicated gaseous fuels. (4) Develop a methodology for analyzing and evaluating the operation of a heavy vehicle as an integrated system, considering such factors as engine efficiency; emissions; rolling resistance; aerodynamic drag; friction, wear, and lubrication effects; auxiliary power units; material substitutions for reducing weight; and other sources of parasitic energy losses. Overarching these considerations is the need to preserve system functionality, cost, competitiveness, reliability, durability, and safety

Review of surface-modification programs in the DOE-OTM Tribology Program

The use of surface-modification treatments is a widely accepted practice to reduce the wear and modify the friction behavior of surface regions while maintaining desirable bulk properties (e.g., strength, hardness, thermal conductivity, etc.) of the underlying substrate. These treatments range from conventional diffusion processes such as carburizing steels for case-hardening gears, to advanced non-equilibrium processes such as ion implantation or ion plating. The objective of this task area is to develop and investigate new or emerging surface-modification processes that show a potential for improving and controlling the tribological behavior of surfaces and thus permit engineers to design components for advanced heat engines based on desired bulk properties and near-surface tribological properties

Uses of ion bombardment in thin-film deposition

Use of plasma- and ion-beam-modified surfaces and surface coatings in continually expanding in engineering disciplines. The purpose of these modifications and treatments is to impart favorable properties, such as wear resistance and lubricity, to the surfaces, while at the same time retaining the strength or toughness of the bulk materials. Energetic-ion bombardment can be used to modify the structural and chemical properties of surfaces or applied coatings. Ion-implantation has been used for many years, and recently, other surface-modification techniques, among them ion-beam mixing and ion-beam-assisted deposition, have attracted attention because they permit application of highly adherent lubricious and wear-resistant films. In this paper, ion-beam techniques are described from the viewpoint of ion-surface interactions, and some avenues for the engineering of tribological surfaces are presented. 100 refs., 4 figs

Macroscopic behavior of fast reactor fuel subjected to simulated thermal transients

High-speed cinematography has been used to characterize the macroscopic behavior of irradiated and unirradiated fuel subjected to thermal transients prototypical of fast reactor transients. The results demonstrate that as the cladding melts, the fuel can disperse via spallation if the fuel contains in excess of approx. 16 ..mu..moles/gm of fission gas. Once the cladding has melted, the macroscopic behavior (time to failure and dispersive nature) was strongly influenced by the presence of volatile fission products and the heating rate