Self-lubricating boric acid films for tribological applications

Because of its layered crystal structure, boric acid, has been found to be lubricious. Its self-lubricating mechanism is related to the easy shear of atomic layers over one another. Moreover, laser-Raman spectroscopy and electron microscopy analyses have confirmed that thin boric acid films can form on surfaces containing boron and boric oxides. To study the lubricity and self lubricating mechanism of boric acid, pin-on-disk tests were performed on pairs of boric acid compacts and steel disks, boric oxide films and steel pins, boron films and steel pins, and boron-implanted steel disks and steel pins. The mean steady-state friction coefficients of these tribosystems ranged from 0.04 to 0.12. 22 refs., 4 figs., 4 tabs.