PROSPECTS FOR THE APPLICATION OF FULLERENE ADDITIVES IN MODERN AVIATION OILS

Abstract

The possibilities and expediency of using fullerene additives and their influence on the tribological properties of modern synthetic aviation oils are analyzed. The method of increasing anti-wear properties of synthetic oils for turbojet aircraft engines Mobil Jet Oil II and Mobil Jet Oil 254 by adding fullerene additive C60 is considered. It is shown that the antiwear properties of synthetic Mobil Jet Oil 254 oil for turbojet aircraft engines exceed more than 5% of Mobil Jet Oil II oil, which, along with other factors, was the reason for the complete transfer of Airbus Helicopters H-145 helicopters to Mobil Jet Oil 254 oil. The increase in the concentration of fullerene additives in oils does not significantly affect the amount of wear of the rolling bearings of the turbine shaft of helicopters, although there is a tendency to decrease the diameter of the wear spot and an increase in the critical load of the transition to seizing. This is explained by the fact that, in contrast to sliding friction, in which the coefficient of friction decreases tenfold due to the possibility of rolling of fullerene molecules on the graphite surface, which is characterized by much lower friction compared to the sliding of graphite surfaces relative to each other due to the higher contact area in the last case. It follows that fullerenes act as micro-rolling bearings that reduce the coefficient of sliding friction. It is assumed that the balls in the rolling bearings may grind fullerenes like ball mills, therefore no significant effect of improving the anti-wear properties of oils when using fullerene additives is observed. It was established that an increase in the concentration of the fullerene additive in oils shifts the critical load to higher values. The use of fullerenes as an anti-wear additive to oils for turbojet engines requires further research and justification.