Finding lubricants that work at exceptionally high temperatures challenges researchers and industries alike. Recently, a Virginia Tech team may have uncovered a promising candidate by happenstance: transition metal spinel oxides formed on nickel-chromium-based superalloys.
Unlike common lubricants that break down under high heat, spinel oxide maintains lubrication up to 700 degrees Celsius (1,292 degrees Fahrenheit) — that's nearly as hot as a metal forge. Enabling metallic materials to withstand hotter temperatures could ignite a new wave of metals manufacturing for industries like aerospace and nuclear energy, which demand innovations in equipment that can withstand extremely high heat. Sparked to find solutions to this critical need, the researchers were funded by multiple grants from the U.S. National Science Foundation and published their results in Nature Communications.
Read more on NSF News.