Effect of a fluorinated nickel surface on the decomposition of perfluorodiethoxymethane

Thesis/Dissertation · Thu Nov 09 00:00:00 EST 1995

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/162362· OSTI ID:162362

Sreevidya, Srinivasan ^[1]

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1. Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

Perfluoropolyethers (PFPEs) are a commercial class of lubricants widely used in computer and aerospace industries. This is a study of the degradation of a perfluorinated ether in the presence of a metal fluoride. Perfluorodiethoxymethane (PFDEM) is a PFPE analog. Temperature programmed desorption shows no contribution of PFDEM toward nickel fluoride on an NiF₂ surface obtained by CF₃I adsorption. Higher coverages of nickel fluoride do not show any evidence of NiF₂ contribution from PFDEM. The results do not agree with the idea that a fluorinated surface might induce decomposition of PFPEs, leading to addition fluoride formation on the surface. The metal fluoride bond strength is not a legitimate concern for decomposition of PFE lubricants. Impurity in PFPEs might be the cause of initial surface fluoridation leading to breakdown of PFPEs which could cause additional metal fluoride formation. It is clear that the reaction of PFPEs with metals does not involve a direct formation of a simple M-F bond; results do not show any C-F bond cleavage of the fluorinated ether and do not support a proposed autocatalytic mechanism.

• Research Organization: Ames Lab., Ames, IA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-82
• OSTI ID: 162362
• Report Number(s): IS-T-1736; ON: DE96003726
• Resource Relation: Other Information: TH: Thesis (M.S.); PBD: 9 Nov 1995
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
LUBRICANTS
DECOMPOSITION
ORGANIC FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
COMPUTERS
SPACE VEHICLES
ETHERS
NICKEL
NICKEL COMPOUNDS
LEWIS ACIDS