Engineering topics

Fusaro, Robert L.

Publications and source records attributed to Fusaro, Robert L..

40 records · Page 3

NASA NTRS1987

Tribological properties of polymer films and solid bodies in a vacuum environment

The tribological properties of ten different polymer based materials were evaluated in a vacuum environment to determine their suitability for possible lubrication applications in a space environment, such as might be encountered on the proposed space station. A pin-on-disk tribometer was used and the polymer materials were evaluated either as solid body disks or as films applied to 440C HT stainless steel disks. A 440C HT stainless steel hemispherically tipped pin was slid against the polymer materials. For comparison, similar tests were conducted in a controlled air atmosphere of 50 percent relative humidity air. In most instances, the polymer materials lubricated much better under vacuum conditions than in air. Thus, several of the materials show promise as lubricants for vacuum applications. Friction coefficients of 0.05 or less and polymer material wear rates of up to 2 orders of magnitude less than in air were obtained. One material showed considerable promise as a traction drive material. Relatively high friction coefficients (0.36 to 0.52) and reasonably low wear rates were obtained in vacuum.

Fusaro, Robert L.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Tribological properties of coal slurries

A pin-on-disk tribometer was used to study the tribological properties of methyl alcohol-coal slurries. Friction coefficients, steel pin wear rates and wear surface morphological studies were conducted on AISI 440C HT and M-50 bearing steels which were slid dry and in solutions of methyl alcohol, methyl alcohol-fine coal particles, and methyl alcohol-fine coal particles-flocking additive. The latter was an oil derived from coal and originally intended to be added to the coal slurry to improve the sedimentation and rheology properties. The results of this study indicated that the addition of the flocking additive to the coal slurry markedly improved the tribological properties, especially wear. In addition, the type of steel was found to be very important in determining the type of wear that took place. Cracks and pits were found on the M-50 steel pin wear surfaces that slid in the coal slurries while 440C HT steel pins showed none.

Fusaro, Robert L.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Comparison of the tribological properties of fluorinated cokes and graphites

The friction, wear, endurance life, and surface morphology of rubbed (burnished) fluorinated graphite and fluorinated coke materials were studied. Two different coke powders, a graphitic carbon powder, and a graphite powder were fluorinated and then tribologically investigated. In addition, one of the coke powders was reduced in size before fluorinating to evaluate the effect of a finer particle size on the tribological properties. For comparison, graphite and coke powders which were not fluorinated were also tribologically evaluated. Elemental analysis by emission spectroscopy was performed on each sample to determine the impurity content and X-ray diffraction analysis was performed to determine the crystallinity. Coke was found to have very little lubricating ability, but fluorinated coke did possess good lubricating properties. However, the fluorinated graphite and fluorinated graphitic carbon (which gave equivalent results) gave superior results to those obtained with the fluorinated cokes. No tribological benefit was found for using small versus a larger particle size of coke, at least when evaluated as a rubbed film.

Fusaro, Robert L.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Counterface effects on the tribological properties of polyimide composites

Graphite fiber reinforced polyimide composite pins were slid against seven different counterfaces to determine the effect of material type on the tribological properties of polymer composites. In addition, the effect of sliding a new pin on a pre-established transfer film was investigated. The results indicated that almost a five order of magnitude difference in composite wear rate can occur just by varying the counterface material. An attempt to make all surfaces as smooth as possible was made, but due to differences in material composition this was not possible and a range of surface roughnesses were obtained. The results indicate that the smoother the surface, the lower the composite wear rate; but that small protrusions (not discernible with arithmetic surface roughness measurements) can markedly increase wear rates. A pre-established transfer film improved both run in and steady state wear rates.

Fusaro, Robert L.↗