Ceramic Gear Lubricants

In aircraft engines and transmissions, a loss-of-lubricant situation can result in catastrophic failure, and so expensive auxiliary lubrication systems that add significant weight to the airframe are required. Current coating materials do not provide adequate lubrication, and potentially improved coatings are costly, require line-of-sight deposition, and/or high temperature heat treatment. In this Phase I effort, Thor Technologies will demonstrate a novel solid lubricant coating, an innovative, low-cost deposition method that does not require line of sight and does not heat the substrate, and a simple, effective method of inspecting the quality of the lubricant coating.