A means of providing replenishable lubrication to rubbing silicon surfaces is demonstrated. Alcohol at a small fraction of saturation vapor pressure is introduced in a nitrogen environment. Pin-on-flat sliding experiments in this environment reveal a friction coefficient near 0.2, and absence of wear above a critical alcohol concentration. This lubrication approach was also demonstrated in microfabricated silicon machines, where the devices operated at least a factor of 104 longer without failure when alcohol vapor was present in the nitrogen gas environment, compared to devices in dry N2 with a chemisorbed monolayer alone. When water vapor was added to the environment, vapor lubrication by alcohol was inhibited at concentration ratios of water:alcohol = 2.5:1.
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ASME/STLE 2007 International Joint Tribology Conference
October 22–24, 2007
San Diego, California, USA
Conference Sponsors:
- Tribology Division
ISBN:
0-7918-4810-8
PROCEEDINGS PAPER
MEMS Lubrication by Tribochemical Reaction Available to Purchase
Michael T. Dugger,
Michael T. Dugger
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM
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David B. Asay,
David B. Asay
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
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James A. Ohlhausen,
James A. Ohlhausen
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM
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Seong H. Kim
Seong H. Kim
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
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Michael T. Dugger
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM
David B. Asay
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
James A. Ohlhausen
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM
Seong H. Kim
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Paper No:
IJTC2007-44308, pp. 873-875; 3 pages
Published Online:
March 23, 2009
Citation
Dugger, MT, Asay, DB, Ohlhausen, JA, & Kim, SH. "MEMS Lubrication by Tribochemical Reaction." Proceedings of the ASME/STLE 2007 International Joint Tribology Conference. ASME/STLE 2007 International Joint Tribology Conference, Parts A and B. San Diego, California, USA. October 22–24, 2007. pp. 873-875. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/IJTC2007-44308
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