An overview of lubrication and associated materials for vacuum service

For mechanisms to function reliability with extended life in vacuum environments, special consideration must be given to the selection of lubricants and materials. Generally, for the lubrication of mechanisms in a vacuum environment there are two types of acceptable lubricants: fluid lubricants which include oils and greases: and dry lubricants which include soft metals, polymers such as PTFE, and dichalcogenides such as MoS2.Advances have introduced new methods of lubricant application such as sputtering and state‐of‐the‐art techniques to modify wear surfaces, as exemplified by ion implantation. Even the lubrication of electrical contacts must be addressed to assure a successful mechanism life. Other materials associated with a lubricated component must also be carefully chosen. Aspects such as chemical compatibility with the lubricant and the possibility of contamination by outgassing of a selected material are additional concerns.