Abstract: A tribometer includes a main chamber to conduct testing under controlled environmental conditions, such as different chamber pressures and different temperatures. A shaft extends through the main chamber to initiate component movement inside the main chamber. A secondary fluid seal chamber is formed in a wall of the main chamber around each shaft. A first seal is formed around the shaft on a first side of the secondary chamber. A second seal is formed around the shaft on a second side of the secondary chamber.

Abstract: A cryogenic testing apparatus includes a housing in which a cryogenic chamber is positioned. An upper channel is arranged around the cryogenic chamber and is configured to receive a cryogen. A lower channel is arranged below the upper channel and is configured to receive cryogen from the upper channel. As the cryogen flows through the cryogenic testing apparatus, the cryogen contacts an exterior of the cryogenic chamber. The cryogenic chamber is unsealed and is configured to receive a gas to create positive pressure within the cryogenic chamber.

Abstract: A tribometer includes a main chamber to conduct testing under controlled environmental conditions, such as different chamber pressures and different temperatures. A shaft extends through the main chamber to initiate component movement inside the main chamber. A secondary fluid seal chamber is formed in a wall of the main chamber around each shaft. A first seal is formed around the shaft on a first side of the secondary chamber. A second seal is formed around the shaft on a second side of the secondary chamber.

Abstract: Surface micro-texturing has been proven an effective way to reduce friction and wear for tribological applications. There is provided a low cost hot sintering method to apply micro-texturing on an advanced bearing polymer material. First, one face of the mold was micro-textured using a micro-casting method. Second, the cured Aromatic Thermosetting coPolyester (ATSP) powder was filled in the mold. Next, the filled mold was placed in a hot press for a hot sintering process. Finally, the textured bulk ATSP was cooled. The micro-textured ATSP bulk material was machined and compared with plain untextured material. The micro-textured material could effectively reduce friction at speeds lower than 2.46 m/s: 14% reduction in average.

Abstract: A method of reversible bonding based on deposition of a coating capable of an indefinite number of reversible bonding cycles as enable by bond exchange reactions is provided. This is accomplished by deposition of crosslinkable aromatic polyester oligomers on a substrate. The coated article is heated to produce a fully thermoset network by condensation reactions. The fully thermoset network has access to a type of bond exchange reaction within the resin that permits the dynamic exchange of ester bonds within the resin. To execute the bonding step a source of heat is applied at a pressure. To debond, there is applied force in tension and/or shear that causes the coating to fail. The reversibility of the process is contingent on the cohesive (rather than adhesive) failure of the coating—that is, the coating must not delaminate from the substrate. Failure must occur in the resin of the reversible coating.

Abstract: Surface micro-texturing has been proven an effective way to reduce friction and wear for tribological applications. There is provided a low cost hot sintering method to apply micro-texturing on an advanced bearing polymer material. First, one face of the mold was micro-textured using a micro-casting method. Second, the cured Aromatic Thermosetting coPolyester (ATSP) powder was filled in the mold. Next, the filled mold was placed in a hot press for a hot sintering process. Finally, the textured bulk ATSP was cooled. The micro-textured ATSP bulk material was machined and compared with plain untextured material. The micro-textured material could effectively reduce friction at speeds lower than 2.46 m/s: 14% reduction in average.

Abstract: This patent describes a new, simple, and low-cost method to produce aromatic thermosetting copolyester (ATSP) based polymer matrix composites. For this method, the ATSP based composites are directly produced from the blended mixtures of the ATSP oligomer powders with the composite fillers through a high temperature and high pressure curing process. In addition, the fully cured ATSP composite laminates can be bonded together to form thicker multi-material composites. The characterization showed that these ATSP based composites are fully condensed, they have excellent tribological performance (low friction and low wear rate), and they have excellent thermal stability, indicating utility in high performance bearing applications, structural materials, and as an ablative composite material.

Abstract: A method of reversible bonding based on deposition of a coating capable of an indefinite number of reversible bonding cycles as enable by bond exchange reactions is provided. This is accomplished by deposition of crosslinkable aromatic polyester oligomers on a substrate. The coated article is heated to produce a fully thermoset network by condensation reactions. The fully thermoset network has access to a type of bond exchange reaction within the resin that permits the dynamic exchange of ester bonds within the resin. To execute the bonding step a source of heat is applied at a pressure. To debond, there is applied force in tension and/or shear that causes the coating to fail. The reversibility of the process is contingent on the cohesive (rather than adhesive) failure of the coating—that is, the coating must not delaminate from the substrate. Failure must occur in the resin of the reversible coating.