• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.103-110
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• 2024

Gas foil thrust bearings (GFTBs) are oil-free self-acting hydrodynamic bearings that support axial loads with a low friction during airborne operation. They need solid lubricants to reduce dry-friction between the runner and top foil and minimize local wears on their surfaces during start-up and shutdown processes. In this study, we evaluate the lift-off speeds and load capacity performance of a GFTB with Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) surface coating by measuring drag torques during a series of experimental tests at increasing ambient temperatures of 25, 75 and 110℃. An electric heat gun provides hot air to the test GFTB operating in the closed booth to increase the ambient temperature. Test results show that the increasing ambient temperature delays the lift-off speed and decreases the load capacity of the test GFTB. An early developed prediction tool well predicts the measured drag torques at 60 krpm. After all tests, post inspections of the surface coating of the top foil are conducted. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images imply that abrasive wear and oxidation wear are dominant during the tests at 25℃ and 110℃, respectively. A quantitative energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) microanalysis reveals that the weight percentages of carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen decrease, while that of fluorine increases significantly during the highest-temperature tests. The study demonstrates that the increasing ambient temperature noticeably deteriorates the static performances and degrades the surface coating of the test GFTB.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.343-348
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• 2010

The surface of low density polyethylene (LDPE) film was oxyfluorinated under different reaction conditions to introduce hydroperoxide groups and change surface characteristics. Hydroperoxide functional groups created by oxyfluorination were used as active sites for graft polymerization with hydrophobic monomer, acryl amide (AM), and hydrophilic monomer, methyl methacrylate (MMA) to carry out the second modification of the LDPE film surface. The surface properties of the OFPE films and grafted OFPE films were characterized by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method, ATR-IR, contact angle measurement and DSC. From the results of DPPH method, the amount of hydroperoxide groups on the oxyfluorinated LDPE film continuously increased as the total pressure in the oxyfluorination and the partial pressure of fluorine gas increased. The water contact angle and surface free energy measurements showed that hydrophilic liquid (water) contact angle on LDPE film surface decreased with hydrophilic AM grafting and hydrophobic liquid (methylene diiodide) contact angle on LDPE film surface decreased with hydrophobic MMA grafting. These were attributed to AM or MMA monomer grafting and the wettability of LDPE filmsurface to hydrophilic and hydrophobic liquids were improved.