(654d) Vapor Phase Lubrication from the Macro-Scale to the Nano-Scale Via Molecular Adsorption of Short Chain Linear Alcohols

As the size of mechanical devices decreases from the macroscale to the micro and nanoscale, innovative lubrication methods are needed to minimize wear caused by adhesion and friction. Different lubrication methods, which include self assembled monolayers (SAMs), specialty oils, and hard surface coatings, for microelectromechical systems devices (MEMS), have been investigated to reduce wear and thus increase the working lifetime of these devices. These lubrication methods, however, have not been found to be sufficiently stable under tribological conditions in real devices. Recently, vapor-phase lubrication via short chain linear alcohol molecules has been demonstrated to be a durable lubrication technology in reducing wear due to friction and adhesion from the macro-scale to the nano-scale. The success of this lubrication method for these length scales including a real MEMS device is discussed.