| AVS 57th International Symposium & Exhibition | |
| Tribology Focus Topic | Wednesday Sessions |
| Session TR+MN+NS+SS-WeM |
| Session: | Influence of Atmosphere, Temperature, and Materials on Friction |
| Presenter: | S.S. Perry, University of Florida |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
There are a number of applications where operation over a wide temperature range is required for device success. These extreme conditions are often the motivation for variable temperature studies in tribology; however, a paucity of relevant tribology data exists for temperatures below 273 K.
In the range from 300 K to 100 K the friction coefficient of various solid lubricants has recently been shown to increase with decreasing temperature. Molecular scale measurements employing an atomic force microscope over a temperature range from 140 K to 750 K at a vacuum level of 2x10-10 torr have identified a temperature activated behavior of the friction and friction coefficient for the solid lubricants graphite and molybdenum disulfide. These molecular scale experiments were performed under conditions for which interfacial sliding was confirmed, interfacial wear was absent, and the role of adsorbed contaminants could be dismissed.
The potential influence of interfacial wear as well as the mechanism underlying the measured temperature dependence will be discussed.