MEPhI scientists have created a unique lubricant for high-precision equipment
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Students and young scientists of the Nuclear University MEPhI have developed a solid lubricant for high-precision equipment. It was created on the basis of tungsten, sulfur and selenium alloys, and its uniqueness lies in the fact that it reduces friction several times better than its counterparts, therefore it is suitable for working in extreme conditions, in particular, in spacecraft nodes, space suits or inside vacuum manipulators and microelectromechanical devices.
According to Vyacheslav Fominsky, Chief Researcher at the Department of Solid State Physics and Nanosystems at the MEPhI University, the research team managed to “select the optimal combination of the ‘matrix’ material and nanoparticles, which makes it possible to achieve increased hardness and plasticity of the lubricating coating.”
“During friction, a nanofilm 20 nm thick is formed on the surface of the coating, which significantly reduces friction due to the weak interaction between atomic planes in its structure,” the scientist explains. – By changing the sulfur content in the amorphous matrix, we can create high-quality lubricating coatings for difficult operating conditions, for example, such as with strong cooling of friction units, down to -100°C.
Mona Platonov.
Photo MEPhI
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