Ion implantation of ceramic bearings. Final report, 1 September 1988-1 March 1989

Technical Report · Thu Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989

OSTI ID:5422332

Armini, A J; Bunker, S N

This report explores the use of ion-implantation techniques to form solid lubricating surfaces on all ceramic (silicon nitride) and hybrid ball bearings. Techniques were developed to implant and/or coat silicon nitride and 52100 bearing steel with MoS{sub 2}, boron, and tin ion beams. A friction/wear tester was also developed to evaluate these coatings in both air and dry nitrogen atmospheres. Friction test results have yielded durable films on both silicon nitride and 52100 steel that exhibit friction coefficients less than 0.1 in a dry state. Oil-lubricated controls in a hybrid bearing also show 0.1. Other dry film processes developed have exhibited ultra-low friction (0.02 to 0.05), but these films had limited lifetime. The dry films are fairly durable and adherent but more work is needed to further improve the durability and adapt the coating process to coating complicated shapes such as balls and rings. (JES)

• Research Organization: Implant Sciences Corp., Danvers, MA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5422332
• Report Number(s): AD-A-209770/7/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360205 -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Corrosion & Erosion
360206* -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Radiation Effects
ATMOSPHERES
BALL BEARINGS
BEAMS
BEARINGS
BORON IONS
CERAMICS
CHARGED PARTICLES
COATINGS
CONTROL
COST
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELEMENTS
FILMS
FRICTION
HYBRID SYSTEMS
ION BEAMS
ION IMPLANTATION
IONS
LUBRICANTS
LUBRICATING OILS
NITRIDES
NITROGEN
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NONMETALS
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PNICTIDES
PROGRESS REPORT
RINGS
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON NITRIDES
SOLID LUBRICANTS
TIN IONS
WEAR