Research Status and Developing Trend of Space Tribology and Tribological Materials

• Main Authors: ZHONG Aiwen, YAO Pingping, XIAO Yelong, ZHOU Haibin, GONG Taimin
• Format: Article
• Language: zho
• Published: Journal of Aeronautical Materials 2017-04-01
• Series: Journal of Aeronautical Materials
• Subjects: tribological materials; space environment; friction; anti-wear; anti-friction
• Online Access: http://jam.biam.ac.cn/CN/Y2017/V37/I2/88

The harsh space environment and its influence on the performance of space tribological materials are reviewed. The effects of the harsh space environment on the friction and wear mechanisms of friction materials, anti-wear materials and anti-friction materials are analyzed respectively. Space friction materials which are often used in space docking system and space manipulator should have stable friction torque and excellent adhesive wear resistance. Space anti-wear materials are mainly used in the space bearings, gears and seal parts. For example, The metal elements (e.g. Ce, Cr, Mn, Mo, Nb, W) and solid lubricants are often added for Fe-Al intermetallics to restrain creep at high temperature; the wear resistances of Ti and its alloys are often improved by surface modification; anti-wear coating which has a proper associativity with the matrix can improve the wear resistance of the materials. Space anti-friction materials mainly refer to lubricants and self-lubricating materials which can reduce friction coefficient of the materials, such as soft metals, polymer materials, some oxides, fluorides and sulfides. With the development of aerospace science and technology, it is highly demanded that the novel tribological materials with high performance should be developed for space applications, and the database of tribological materials should be built, in order to meet the international challenge of development of space technology.