Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “polytetrafluoroethylene”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1969

Refractory-metal compound impregnation of polytetrafluoroethylene

Process impregnates polytetrafluoroethylene /PTFE/ with rhenium or molybdenum compounds. The refractory metals impregnated PTFE combines chemical inertness with electrical conductivity. They are useful for electro-chemical cells, chemical processing equipment, catalysts, electrostatic charge removal, RF gasketing, and cable shielding.

Leibecki, H. F.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Adhesion and transfer of polytetrafluoroethylene to tungsten studied by field ion microscopy

Mechanical contacts between polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and tungsten field ion tips were made in situ in the field ion microscope. Both load and force of adhesion were measured for varying contact times and for clean and contaminated tungsten tips. Strong adhesion between the PTFE and clean tungsten was observed at contact times greater than 2.5 min (forces of adhesion were greater than three times the load). For times less than 2.5 min, the force of adhesion was immeasurably small. The increase in adhesion with contact time after 2.5 min can be attributed to the increase in true contact area by creep of PTFE. No adhesion was measurable at long contact times with contaminated tungsten tips. Neon field ion micrographs taken after the contacts show many linear and branched arrays which appear to represent PTFE that remains adhered to the surface even at the high electric fields required for imaging.

Brainard, W. A.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Scanning electron microscope study of polytetrafluoroethylene sliding on aluminum single crystals

Friction experiments were conducted in air with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sliding on aluminum single crystals. Mechanical scoring of the crystals with (110) and (100) orientations was observed with a single pass of the PTFE slider. No scoring was observed on the (111). The degree of scoring of the crystals is related to the hardness, with the hardest surface (111) showing no damage and the softest surface (110) showing the most severe scoring. Scoring is caused by work-hardened pieces of aluminum which, as a consequence of the adhesion between PTFE and aluminum, were pulled out of the bulk and became embedded in the PTFE polymer.

Brainard, W. A.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Toxicity of pyrolysis gases from polytetrafluoroethylene

A sample of polytetrafluoroethylene was evaluated for toxicity of pyrolysis gases, using various test conditions of the toxicity screening test method developed at the University of San Francisco. Time to death appears to be affected by the material of which the pyrolysis tube is made, with Monel tending to give longer times to death than quartz. When quartz tubes are used, time to death seems to be related to carbon monoxide concentration. When Monel tubes are used, carbon monoxide does not appear to be the principal toxicant.

Hilado, C. J.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Polytetrafluoroethylene transfer film studied with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) was rubbed against nickel in ultrahigh vacuum at loads up to 3.9 N and speeds up to 94 mm/sec. The transfer film formed on the nickel was analyzed using X-ray phototectron spectroscopy. The film was indistinguishable from bulk PTFE except for the possible presence of a small amount of NiF2. The transfer film was found to be about 1 molecule (0.5 nm) thick under all conditions; but at speeds above 10 mm/sec, there was evidence of bulk transfer in the form of fragments as well. The thickness measurements required a choice among conflicting published values of the inelastic mean free path for electrons in polymers. The values chosen gave internally consistent results.

Wheeler, D. R.↗
NASA NTRS1981

The transfer of polytetrafluoroethylene studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

A polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sphere of radius 4.8 mm was rubbed against nickel and S-Monel at speeds from 0.94 to 94 mm/s and at loads from 0.19 to 3.9 N. The transfer film of PTFE on the metal was examined with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In all cases the film was found to be indistinguishable from bulk PTFE. A trace of metal fluoride was observed whether the rubbing took place on oxidized or atomically clean metal. The film was of the order of a molecule thick for the entire range of loads and did not increase with repeated passes over the same rubbed area. An erratic increase in thickness at rubbing speeds above 10 mm/s was taken as evidence of random transfer of bulk material.

Wheeler, D. R.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Study of methods for applying and enhancing transfer film coatings of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTEE) to Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) High Pressure Oxygen Turbo Pump (HPOTP) bearings

Machines were constructed and evaluated for burnishing polytetrafluoroethylene on balls for use in the high pressure oxygen turbopump (HPOTP). The most positive performance was obtained with single-ball burnishing, but one technique for burnishing three balls simultaneously holds promise. Evaluations of the coatings in a HPOTP bearing of earlier design (employed smaller diameter balls) showed very little life enhancement before high torque and ball and race wear initiated. Other coating techniques, such as molybdenum disulfide combined with PTFE transfer films, hold promise for providing the more durable quantities of solid lubricant needed for the bearings.

Kannel, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Improved adhesion of Ni films on X-ray damaged polytetrafluoroethylene

The considered investigation shows that the adhesion of evaporated Ni on polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is enhanced by irradiating the PTFE surface prior to evaporation. Evidence obtained with the aid of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is presented concerning the association of the enhanced adhesion with an interfacial chemical reaction. Evaporated Ni clearly adheres better to the X-ray damaged PTFE surface than to the undamaged surface. There is evidence that the improved adhesion is not related to the Ni-C bond, but rather to the NiF2. A possible mechanism which may be consistent with the data is the formation of a F-Ni-C complex, where C is a member of the polymer chain.

Wheeler, D. R.↗