Superacid treatment of MoS2 coating to enhance wear life

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has been utilized as a space lubricant due to its suitability for vacuum environments. While MoS2 lubricants were adequate for early spacecraft, the increasing duration of missions has heightened the demands on these lubricants, necessitating ultrahigh wear lives extending from months to decades. To overcome these limitations, MoS2 has been co-deposited with a wide array of additives, such as Titanium or tungsten carbide. However, at a manufacturing scale, the co-deposition of MoS2 with other elements to enhance the wear life of coatings is neither feasible nor cost-effective. Here, we propose an air-stable solution treatment by an organic superacid bis(trifluoromethane) sulfonimide (TFSI) which could potentially increase wear life of MoS2 coatings by repairing (passivating) existing defects within the microstructure of MoS2. The wear performance will be assessed at both the nanoscale and macroscale using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and a tribometer, respectively. TFSI treatment could serve as a viable path to design MoS2 coatings with extended wear life, extend the wear life of existing coatings, and as an alternative to co-deposited MoS2 coatings.

Faculty Supervisor:

Tobin Filleter

Student:

Partner:

FEMTO-ST Institute

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Technology; Aerospace; Nanotechnology

University:

University of Toronto

Program: