Friction and wear studies of graphite and a carbon-carbon composite in air and in helium

Conference · Wed Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980

OSTI ID:6676019

Li, C C; Sheehan, J E

Sliding friction and wear tests were conducted on a commercial isotropic graphite and a carbon-carbon composite in air, purified helium, and a helium environment containing controlled amounts of impurities simulating the primary coolant chemistry of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR). The friction and wear characteristics of the materials investigated were stable and were found to be very sensitive to the testing temperature. In general, friction and wear decreased with increasing temperature in the range from ambient to 950/sup 0/C. This temperature dependence is concluded to be due to chemisorption of impurities to form lubricating films and oxidation at higher temperatures, which reduce friction and wear. Graphite and carbon-carbon composites are concluded to be favorable candidate materials for high-temperature sliding service in helium-cooled reactors.

• Research Organization: General Atomic Co., San Diego, CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AT03-76ET35300
• OSTI ID: 6676019
• Report Number(s): GA-A-16054; CONF-810301-2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210300 -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Graphite Moderated
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360600* -- Other Materials
AIR
CARBON
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISORPTION
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
COOLANTS
ELEMENTS
FIBERS
FILMS
FLUIDS
FRICTION
GAS COOLED REACTORS
GASES
GRAPHITE
GRAPHITE MODERATED REACTORS
HELIUM
HTGR TYPE REACTORS
IMPURITIES
LUBRICATION
MATERIALS
NONMETALS
OXIDATION
RARE GASES
REACTORS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SORPTION
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
WEAR