Abrasiveness of MoS2in Bonded Solid Lubricants

The abrasiveness of molybdenum disulfide hat been studied on a Modified LFW-1 Tester Tester. Test rings, coated with a special banded solid lubricant, were rotated under load against uncoated, highly polished, steel test blocks. After each test, the block surface roughness was measured using an electronic surface comparator. Results indicate that randomly oriented platelets of MoS2 embedded in a resin, can rapidly cause severe damage to hard metal surfaces, even under relatively light loads. It Was found that run-in is effective in reducing surface damage and that in some cases the effect may he enhanced by burnishing prior to test. Burnishing was found to be effective in inhibiting blister formation. Some conclusions are drawn regarding the effects of surface orientation of MoS2 particles. These conclusions are substantiated by X-ray diffraction studies, and several scanning electron photo micrographs.