Superlubricity coating could reduce economic losses from friction, wear

Credit: Chanaka Kumara/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

ORNL's vertically aligned carbon nanotubes reduce friction to nearly zero to improve energy efficiency.

« Superlubricity coating could reduce economic losses from friction, wear

Credit: Carlos Jones/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

Jun Qu of ORNL shows stainless-steel disks before (silver) and after (black) coating with carbon nanotubes that provide superlubricity.

« Superlubricity coating could reduce economic losses from friction, wear

Credit: Carlos Jones/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

ORNL researchers used a tribometer for friction testing to show that carbon nanotubes in the presence of even one drop of oil could sustain superlubricity over 500,000 cycles.

« Superlubricity coating could reduce economic losses from friction, wear

Credit: Carlos Jones/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

A stainless-steel disk was heated to create iron and nickel oxide particles on its surface. The particles catalyzed carbon nanotube growth during chemical vapor deposition.

« Superlubricity coating could reduce economic losses from friction, wear

Credit: Carlos Jones/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

Chanaka Kumara of ORNL used a chemical vapor deposition system, in the background, to coat a stainless-steel disc, in the foreground, with carbon nanotubes.

« Superlubricity coating could reduce economic losses from friction, wear

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