Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Surface and Subsurface Contributions of Oxidation and Moisture to Room Temperature Friction of Molybdenum Disulfide

Tribology Letters volume 53, pages 329–336 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), a lamellar solid lubricant, is used extensively in space applications due to its exceptional performance in vacuum and inert environments. The friction and wear of MoS2, however, increase in the presence of atmospheric contaminants, such as water. Despite numerous studies of the moisture-sensitive friction response of MoS2 over the decades, important fundamental questions remain unanswered. Two leading hypotheses suggest that water affects friction by causing the MoS2 to oxidize or by physically bonding to edge sites, and thereby disrupting easy lamellar shear. This paper presents a parametric study to (1) isolate the effects of water and oxygen on ambient MoS2 friction, (2) identify the effect of water and oxygen on MoS2 oxidation, and (3) distinguish between the effects of water diffusion and surface oxidation on the frictional response of MoS2 coatings. The experimental findings were used to develop a qualitative model for the effects of environment on MoS2 friction; the model is used to explain transients, hysteretic effects, oxidation effects, and effects of physically bound water.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

References

  1. Ross, S., Sussman, A.: Surface oxidation of molybdenum disulfide. J. Phys. Chem. 59(9), 889–892 (1955)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Haltner, A.J., Oliver, C.S.: Effect of water vapor on friction of molybdenum disulfide. Ind. Eng. Chem. Fundam. 5(3), 348–355 (1966)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Pardee, R.P.: Effect of humidity on low-load frictional properties of a bonded solid film lubricant. ASLE Trans. 15(2), 130–142 (1972)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Panitz, J.K.G., Pope, L.E., Lyons, J.E., Staley, D.J.: The tribological properties of Mos2 coatings in vacuum, low relative-humidity, and high relative-humidity environments. J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A-Vac. Surf. Films 6(3), 1166–1170 (1988)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Stewart, T.B., Fleischauer, P.D.: Chemistry of sputtered molybdenum-disulfide films. Inorg. Chem. 21(6), 2426–2431 (1982)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Fleischauer, P.D.: Effects of crystallite orientation on environmental stability and lubrication properties of sputtered Mos2 thin-films. ASLE Trans. 27(1), 82–88 (1984)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Dudder, G., Zhao, X., Krick, B., Sawyer, W.G., Perry, S.: Environmental effects on the tribology and microstructure of MoS2-Sb2O3-C films. Tribol. Lett. 42(2), 203–213 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Midgley, J.W.: The frictional properties of molybdenum disulfide. J. Inst. Petrol. 42, 312–315 (1956)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Johnston, R.R., Moore, A.J.W.: Water adsorption on molybdenum disulfide containing surface contaminants. J. Phys. Chem. 68(11), 3399–3406 (1964)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Roberts, E.W.: Towards an optimised sputtered MoS2 lubricant film. 20th AMS NASA Conference, 103–119 (1986)

  11. Colbert, R.S.: The Role of Water on the Tribological Properties of Molybdenum Disulphide Films. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Florida, Gainesville (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Holinski, R., Gänsheimer, J.: A study of the lubricating mechanism of molybdenum disulfide. Wear 19(3), 329–342 (1972)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Windom, B.C., Sawyer, W.G., Hahn, D.W.: A Raman spectroscopic study of MoS(2) and MoO(3): applications to tribological systems. Tribol. Lett. 42(3), 301–310 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Kubart, T., Polcar, T., Kopecky, L., Novak, R., Novakova, D.: Temperature dependence of tribological properties of MoS(2) and MoSe(2) coatings. Surf. Coat. Technol. 193(1–3), 230–233 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Godfrey, N., Nelson, E.C.: Oxidation characteristics of molybdenum disulfide and effect of such oxidation on its role as a solid film lubricant. NACA TN No. 1882 (1949)

  16. Khare, H.S., Burris, D.L.: The effects of environmental water and oxygen on the temperature-dependent friction of sputtered molybdenum disulfide. Tribol. Lett. 52(3), 485–493 (2013). doi:10.1007/s11249-013-0233-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Hamilton, M.A., Alvarez, L.A., Mauntler, N.A., Argibay, N., Colbert, R., Burris, D.L., Muratore, C., Voevodin, A.A., Perry, S.S., Sawyer, W.G.: A possible link between macroscopic wear and temperature dependent friction behaviors of MoS(2) coatings. Tribol. Lett. 32(2), 91–98 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Burris, D.L., Perry, S.S., Sawyer, W.G.: Macroscopic evidence of thermally activated friction with polytetrafluoroethylene. Tribol. Lett. 27(3), 323–328 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Burris, D.L., Sawyer, W.G.: Addressing practical challenges of low friction coefficient measurements. Tribol. Lett. 35(1), 17–23 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Chromik, R.R., Baker, C.C., Voevodin, A.A., Wahl, K.J.: In situ tribometry of solid lubricant nanocomposite coatings. Wear 262(9–10), 1239–1252 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Kanaya, K., Okayama, S.: Penetration and energy-loss theory of electrons in solid targets. J. Phys. D Appl. Phys. 5(1), 43 (1972)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Lansdown, A.R.: Molybdenum Disulphide Lubrication, 1st ed. Tribology Series, 35. Elsevier, Amsterdam (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Scharf, T.W., Prasad, S.V.: Solid lubricants: a review. J. Mate. Sci. 48(2), 511–531 (2013). doi:10.1007/s10853-012-7038-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR YIP FA9550-10-1–0295) and the University of Delaware Graduate Fellowship for financial support of this work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA

    H. S. Khare & D. L. Burris

Authors
  1. H. S. Khare
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. D. L. Burris
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to D. L. Burris.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Khare, H.S., Burris, D.L. Surface and Subsurface Contributions of Oxidation and Moisture to Room Temperature Friction of Molybdenum Disulfide. Tribol Lett 53, 329–336 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-013-0273-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-013-0273-0

Keywords

search

Navigation