| The
problem of the tribological behaviour of materials had
focussed on either improving friction or prioritising
less wear and tear. The target of FOREMOST project (“FOREMOST:
fullerene-based opportunities for robust engineering:
making optimised surfaces for tribology”) is to achieve
both effects simultaneously and, tot his end, the project
will be based on the use of inorganic fullerenes (molybdenum
bisulphate and bisulphate of wolframite). These new
alotropic states of these well-known solid lubricants
have the property of forming spheres of a few nanometers
in diameter and forming layers like onion skins which
act as “nano ball bearings” between the surfaces in
contact. The
inorganic fullerenes are to be incorporated into three
product families:
-
Hard layers: in which fullerenes display greater
thermal stability than the bisulphates in their
conventional state.
- Polymeric layers and paints: products in which
it is thought that the addition of fullerenes will
increase “wetability” and, thereby, enable the rapid
evacuation of the surface-deposited water (this
is of particular interest in aeronautics as the
rapid removal of water minimises the negative effects
of ice on the moving control structures).
- Lubricants (oils and fats): with the aim of reducing
the coefficient of friction (there are already references
in the literature that they are highly efficient
in this function) and increase load resistance capacity.
The
consortium is made up of Ion Bond, Microcoat, Fuchs
Petrolub, Spolchemie, Nanomaterials, Renault, EADS,
Rolls-Royce and Goodrich, amongst others. Also participating
is the Institute of Materials Sciences of the National
Council for Scientific Research and Fatronik Technological
Centre. The project will be co-ordinated by the TEKNIKER
Technological Centre.
According
to the dates established, this large-scale integrated
project will start its activities in March 2004 and
conclude in September 2008.
Reference
URL
http://www.basqueresearch.com |
