Friction and wear life studies on burnished films of the compound graphite fluoride have demonstrated its potential as a solid lubricant material. It is effective in moist air, dry air, or in dry argon at temperatures up to approximately 400 degrees C

Fusaro, R. L.

Sliney, H. E.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

August 1969	 Brief 69-10250 
NASA Tech Briefs are issued to summarize specific innovations derived from the U.S. space program, 
to encourage their commercial application. Copies are available to the public at 15 cents each 
from the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information, Springfield, Virginia 22151. 
A New Solid Lubricant 
COMPARISON OF. FRICTION COEFFICIENT AND WEAR LIFE

OF BURNISHED FILMS OF GRAPHITE FLUORIDE, GRAPHITE,

AND MOLYBDENUM DISULFIDE IN THREE DIFFERENT

ATMOSPHERES AT 25C 
[Moisture content: moist air. 10,000 ppm: dry air. 20 ppm: dry argon. 20 ppm: linear

sliding speed, 1.6 m/sec: load. 500 g: riders. 440-C stainless steel.] 
Powder Disk Minimum friction coefficient 
_T Wear life, mm substrate
Atmosphere (stainless steel)
Moist air Dry air Dry argon Moist air Dry air Dry argon 
(CF 112In 301 0.05 0.02 0.025 700+ 250 50 
Graphite 301 .09 Immediate Immediate 350 0 0 
failurea failure 
MoS2 301 * Immediate Immediate 0 0 
failure failure 
(CF 112) 440-C .06 .15 1200 460 -- 
M0S2 440-C .15 .02
-
30 70 -	 --
a Cri terion for failure was a frictional force equal to that of unlubricated metal combination. 
*Since M0S2 does not work as well in moist air as it does in either 
dry air or dry argon, no tests were run in moist air. 
Friction and wear life studies on burnished films of 
the compound graphite fluoride (CF) have demon-
strated its potential as a new solid lubricant material. 
Graphite fluoride poders were burnished onto 
roughened stainless steel disks and the ensuing films 
were evaluated using a pin-on-disk sliding friction 
apparatus. For comparison, similar tests were per-
formed using burnished films of graphite and of MoS2. 
The results show that graphite fluoride is an effec-
tive lubricant in moist air, in dry air, or in dry argon at 
temperatures up to approximately 400"C. The friction 
coefficient which varies with the temperature and the 
type of stainless steel disk used, ranges from 0.02 to 
0.15. See the figure. These values are comparable or 
superior to the friction coefficients measured for com-
parable MoS 2 or graphite films. However, the mea-
sured wear lives of the graphite fluoride films are up 
to six times greater than either MoS 2 or graphite 
(cohtinued overleaf) 
Amok
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films. For example, at room temperature in dry air, 
the average wear life of a (CF) film was 450 min-
utes, while that of a MoS 2 film was only 70 minutes. 
Notes: 
1. Graphite fluoride is a lamellar compound of carbon 
formed by the controlled chemical reaction of 
graphite with gaseous fluorine. Its crystal structure 
is similar to graphite except that the distance be-
tween lamellar planes has been expanded. 
2. Graphite fluoride is white in color and quite clean 
to work with. It is hydrophobic, and has high elec-
trical resistance. 
3. Mr. Marco Petronio and his associates of the U.S. 
Army's Frankford Arsenal suggested graphite 
fluoride as a possible solid lubricant. The graphite 
fluoride powders used in this investigation were 
formulated at Rice University for the Frankford 
Arsenal.
4. Documentation is available from: 
Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific 
and Technical Information 
Springfield, Virginia 22151 
Price $3.00 
Reference: TSP69- 10250 
5. Technical questions may be directed to: 
Technology Utilization Officer 
Lewis Research Center 
21000 Brookpark Road 
Cleveland, Ohio 44135 
Reference: B69-10250 
Patent status: 
No patent action is contemplated by NASA. 
Source: Robert L. Fusaro and Harold E. Sliney 
Lewis Research Center 
(LEW-10812)
. 
. 
Brief 69-10250
	
Category 03


A new solid lubricant

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