Oil-Free Lubricants

About this technology

Overview

NASA's Glenn Research Center has developed high-temperature solid lubricant materials to reduce friction and wear in mechanical components, especially in extreme temperatures. The lubricant performs in temperatures from cryogenic levels to greater than 900°C. It has been formulated to provide higher density, smoother surface finish, and better dimensional stability than prior solid lubricant coatings. It can be applied either through plasma spraying as a coating, known as PS400, or as a solid composite material via powder metallurgy, known as PM400. Because of its ability to maintain thermal and chemical stability in higher temperatures, PS/PM400 enables efficiency increases of up to 40% in rotating machinery applications. Furthermore, PS/PM400 has proven durable in over 20,000 hours of turbine engine operation. PS/PM400 offers a substantial upgrade in wear resistance and efficiency for a vast range of aerospace and aeronautics applications. Its unique combination of good mechanical properties, long-term environmental durability, exceptional friction and wear-reducing characteristics, higher density, smoother finish, and better dimension stability establishes it in a class by itself among solid self-lubricating materials.