AVS 51st International Symposium
    Surface Science Thursday Sessions
       Session SS2-ThM

Paper SS2-ThM7
Activation of SiC Surface for Vapor Phase Lubrication by Chemical Vapor Deposition of Fe

Thursday, November 18, 2004, 10:20 am, Room 210C

Session: Tribology, Adhesion, and Friction
Presenter: D. Kim, Carnegie Mellon University
Authors: D. Kim, Carnegie Mellon University
A.J. Gellman, Carnegie Mellon University
Correspondent: Click to Email
Vapor phase lubrication (VPL) has been proposed as a method for lubricating high temperature engines. During VPL, lubricants such as tricresylphosphate (TCP), (CH@sub 3@-C@sub 6@H@sub 4@O)@sub 3@P=O, are delivered through the vapor phase to high temperature engine components where they react to deposit a thin, solid, lubricating film. Although ceramics such as SiC are desirable materials for high temperature applications their surfaces are unreactive for the decomposition of TCP and thus not amenable to vapor phase lubrication. As a means of activating the SiC surface for TCP decomposition we have used chemical vapor deposition of Fe from Fe(CO)@sub 5@. Modification the SiC surface by the presence of Fe accelerates subsequent decomposition of TCP and deposition of P and C on the surface. m-TCP decomposes more readily in the temperature range of 300 K - 500 K on Fe-coated SiC surfaces than on SiC surfaces. The C and P deposition rates depend on the thickness of the Fe film and are further enhanced by oxidation of the Fe. This work provides a proof-of-concept demonstration of the feasibility of using vapor phase to lubricate ceramics.