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Montoya, Alex F.

Publications and source records attributed to Montoya, Alex F..

Material Outgassing, Identification and Deposition, MOLIDEP System

The outgassing tests are performed employing a modified vacuum operated Cahn analytical microbalance, identified as the MOLIDEP system. The test measures under high vacuum, the time varying Molecular mass loss of a material sample held at a chosen temperature; it Identifies the outgassing molecular components using an inline SRS 300 amu Residual Gas Analyzer (RGA) and employs a temperature controlled 10 MHz Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) to measure the condensable DEPosits. Both the QCM and the RGA intercept within the conductive passage the outgassing products being evacuated by a turbomolecular pump. The continuous measurements of the mass loss, the rate of loss, the sample temperature, the rate of temperature change, the QCM temperature and the QCM recorded condensable deposits or rate of deposits are saved to an Excel spreadsheet. A separate computer controls the RGA.

Scialdone, John J.↗

Methods of Measuring Vapor Pressures of Lubricants With Their Additives Using TGA and/or Microbalances

The life of a space system may be critically dependent on the lubrication of some of its moving parts. The vapor pressure, the quantity of the available lubricant, the temperature and the exhaust venting conductance passage are important considerations in the selection and application of a lubricant. In addition, the oil additives employed to provide certain properties of low friction, surface tension, antioxidant and load bearing characteristics, are also very important and need to be known with regard to their amounts and vapor pressures. This paper reports on the measurements and analyses carried out to obtain those parameters for two often employed lubricants, the Apiezon(TM)-C and the Krytox(TM) AB. The measurements were made employing an electronic microbalance and a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) modified to operate in a vacuum. The results have been compared to other data on these oils when available. The identification of the mass fractions of the additives in the oil and their vapor pressures as a function of the temperature were carried out. These may be used to estimate the lubricant life given its quantity and the system vent exhaust conductance. It was found that the Apiezon(TM)-C has three main components with different rates of evaporation while the Krytox(TM) did not indicate any measurable additive.

Scialdone, John J.↗