Research on Wear Mechanism of Solid Lubrication Bearing in Vacuum Environment

Abstract

The wear mechanism of solid lubrication bearing in vacuum environment was researched. It experiment on the angular contact ball bearing of sputter-deposited MoS2 solid lubrication coating in bearing friction test device, and the time-varying characteristics of bearing temperature and vibration can be got. The MoS2 solid lubrication coating on bearing surface was gradually wear in the process of bearing rotation, and the temperature and vibration of bearing were increased. The transfer membrane was formation in bearing raceway with the increase of bearing rotation. The transfer membrane accumulation occurs due to uneven thickness of MoS2 solid lubrication coating, and the bearing produce serious vibration. Through the microstructure observation and energy spectrum analysis of the bearing surface, it finds there are pitting caused by fatigue wear and scratch caused by abrasive wear after test. The test result indicate that the wear mechanism of solid lubrication bearing in vacuum environment were fatigue wear of solid lubrication coating caused by steel ball circularly rolling and abrasive wear caused by steel ball sliding.