AVS 52nd International Symposium
    Surface Science Tuesday Sessions
       Session SS2-TuA

Paper SS2-TuA5
Molecular Dynamics Simulations of the Nanotribological Behavior of a Polytetrafluoroethylene Transfer Films

Tuesday, November 1, 2005, 3:20 pm, Room 203

Session: Tribology, Adhesion and Friction
Presenter: I. Jang, University of Florida
Authors: I. Jang, University of Florida
W.G. Sawyer, University of Florida
S.R. Phillpot, University of Florida
S.B. Sinnott, University of Florida
Correspondent: Click to Email
Mechanical devices for space applications need to be able to operate reliably in an extreme range of environments. Therefore, the physical and chemical integrity of the materials has to be assured under extremes of both high and low temperature, under ambient pressures and in near absolute vacuum, and under solar radiation. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is known to have good thermal and chemical stability, and a low frictional coefficient. Thus polymer nanocomposites based on PTFE are considered to be promising materials for solid lubricant in aerospace applications. Like other polymer materials, many properties of PTFE depend on morphology. By changing the polymeric chain structure and combining it with other materials, it is likely that the frictional coefficient of PTFE can be made lower and its wear resistance further improved. In order to develop new material systems with superior frictional properties or to improve the existing ones, it is necessary to understand the detailed mechanisms of their frictional behavior, and the effect of molecular structure on friction. In this study, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are performed to examine the effect of chain configuration on the frictional behavior of PTFE at the molecular level, with the aim of identifying the fundamental wear mechanisms, and guiding the further refinement of the materials with low frictional coefficients for space applications.