W.R. Jones, Jr.

Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

M.J. Jansen

Sest, Inc., Middleburg Hts., Ohio

L.J. Gschwender, C.E. Snyder, Jr., and S.K. Sharma

Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

R.E. Predmore

Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

M.J. Dube

Nye Lubrications, Inc., New Bedford, Massachusetts

The Tribological Properties of Several

Silahydrocarbons for Use in Space Mechanisms

NASA/TM—2001-211196

November 2001
The NASA STI Program Office . . . in Profile

Since its founding, NASA has been dedicated to

the advancement of aeronautics and space

science. The NASA Scientific and Technical

Information (STI) Program Office plays a key part

in helping NASA maintain this important role.

The NASA STI Program Office is operated by

Langley Research Center, the Lead Center for

NASA’s scientific and technical information. The

NASA STI Program Office provides access to the

NASA STI Database, the largest collection of

aeronautical and space science STI in the world.

The Program Office is also NASA’s institutional

mechanism for disseminating the results of its

research and development activities. These results

are published by NASA in the NASA STI Report

Series, which includes the following report types:

• TECHNICAL PUBLICATION. Reports of

completed research or a major significant

phase of research that present the results of

NASA programs and include extensive data

or theoretical analysis. Includes compilations

of significant scientific and technical data and

information deemed to be of continuing

reference value. NASA’s counterpart of peerreviewed formal professional papers but

has less stringent limitations on manuscript

length and extent of graphic presentations.

• TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM. Scientific

and technical findings that are preliminary or

of specialized interest, e.g., quick release

reports, working papers, and bibliographies

that contain minimal annotation. Does not

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technical findings by NASA-sponsored

contractors and grantees.

• CONFERENCE PUBLICATION. Collected

papers from scientific and technical

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meetings sponsored or cosponsored by

NASA.

• SPECIAL PUBLICATION. Scientific,

technical, or historical information from

NASA programs, projects, and missions,

often concerned with subjects having

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• TECHNICAL TRANSLATION. Englishlanguage translations of foreign scientific

and technical material pertinent to NASA’s

mission.

Specialized services that complement the STI

Program Office’s diverse offerings include

creating custom thesauri, building customized

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results . . . even providing videos.

For more information about the NASA STI

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• Access the NASA STI Program Home Page

at http://www.sti.nasa.gov

• E-mail your question via the Internet to

help@sti.nasa.gov

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NASA/TM—2001-211196

November 2001

National Aeronautics and

Space Administration

Glenn Research Center

Prepared for the

Ninth European Space Mechanisms and Tribology Symposium

sponsored by the European Space Agency

Liège, Belgium, September 19–21, 2001

W.R. Jones, Jr.

Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

M.J. Jansen

Sest, Inc., Middleburg Hts., Ohio

L.J. Gschwender, C.E. Snyder, Jr., and S.K. Sharma

Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

R.E. Predmore

Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

M.J. Dube

Nye Lubrications, Inc., New Bedford, Massachusetts

The Tribological Properties of Several

Silahydrocarbons for Use in Space Mechanisms
Available from

NASA Center for Aerospace Information

7121 Standard Drive

Hanover, MD 21076

National Technical Information Service

5285 Port Royal Road

Springfield, VA 22100

This report is a formal draft or working

paper, intended to solicit comments and

ideas from a technical peer group.

Trade names or manufacturers’ names are used in this report for

identification only. This usage does not constitute an official

endorsement, either expressed or implied, by the National

Aeronautics and Space Administration.

This report contains preliminary

findings, subject to revision as

analysis proceeds.

Available electronically at http://gltrs.grc.nasa.gov/GLTRS
NASA/TM—2001-211196 1

	
	
		



	


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13

The Tribological Properties of Several Silahydrocarbons

for Use in Space Mechanisms

W.R. Jones, Jr., M.J. Jansen, L.J. Gschwender, C.E. Snyder, Jr.,

S.K. Sharma, R.E. Predmore, and M.J. Dube

Tribology; Perfluoropolyether; Silahydrocarbon

Unclassified -Unlimited

Subject Category: 27 Distribution: Nonstandard

Prepared for the Ninth European Space Mechanisms and Tribology Symposium sponsored by the European Space Agency, Liège,

Belgium, September 19–21, 2001. W.R. Jones, Jr., NASA Glenn Research Center; M.J. Jansen, Sest, Inc., 1800 Jefferson Park, Suite

104, Middleburg Hts., Ohio 44130; L.J. Gschwender, C.E. Snyder, Jr., and S.K. Sharma, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright

Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio; R.E. Predmore, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland; and M.J. Dube, Nye Lubrications,

Inc., New Bedford, Massachusetts. Responsible person, W.R. Jones, organization code 5960, 216–433–6051.

Silahydrocarbons are members of a relatively new class of liquid lubricants with great potential for use in space mechanisms. They are unimolecular species consisting of silicon, carbon, and hydrogen. They possess unique wear, viscosity, and

volatility properties while retaining the ability to solubilize conventional additives. The tribological properties of several

members of this class, including tri-, tetra- and penta-compounds, are presented. These properties include: viscositytemperature (ASTM D446), viscosity-pressure coefficient, vapor pressure, volatility, lubricant lifetimes, traction, reciprocating and four ball wear rates and bearing performance. Lubricant lifetimes were determined using a vacuum ball bearing

simulator, the spiral orbit tribometer (SOT). Wear was measured using a Cameron Plint reciprocating tribometer and wear

rates with a vacuum four ball tribometer. Conventional viscometry was used for viscosity-temperature measurements and a

Knudsen cell for vapor pressure. VacuumThermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) was also used for volatility measurements.

Pressure viscosity coefficients (a values) were estimated from EHL film thickness measurements. Traction coefficients

were measured with a twin disk traction rig. Bearing tests were performed in a vacuum bearing test facility. These properties are compared to existing state-of-the-art space lubricants.