Ionic Liquid Lubrication

The U.S. Air Force requires advanced lubricants (oils and greases) that can perform at elevated temperatures and under a high vacuum for military and aerospace applications. Additionally, the rapidly growing field of microelectromechanical systems requires advanced lubricants for moving parts incorporated into microscopic actuators. Based on preliminary data collected by us, we believe that Covalent's hydrophobic ionic liquid technology is well suited for these particular applications. During Phase I a series of new ionic liquid materials will be prepared and purified by us. Our STTR partner will then evaluate the new materials in respect to their thermal properties under vacuum and their tribological properties under load.