Researchers at the INM – Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Germany, announce a functional coating that lubricates without grease and protects against corrosion at the same time. It is suitable as a coating for metals and metal alloys such as steel, aluminum, and magnesium. The technology involves incorporating platelet-like solid lubricants and platelet-like particles in a binder. When this mixture is applied to a surface, it produces a well-ordered structure in which particles are arranged in a roof tile pattern.
This forms a transfer film between the low friction coating and the object through which surfaces can slide with the minimum of friction. “The particular mixture ratio means that our composite has a very low coefficient of friction. If we only used a solid lubricant, the coefficient of friction would be considerably higher,” explains Carsten Becker-Willinger, Head of the Nanomers Program Division.
The roof tile structure not only provides low-friction sliding, but also it acts as a barrier. This is a particular advantage, because as a result the material also prevents moisture or salts from penetrating metal surfaces, thus also protecting against corrosion. In a neutral salt spray context, the composite has a corrosion resistance of over 1000 hours on low-alloy steel.
The roof tile structure forms by simple thermal curing without any further assistance in self-organization.
