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Abstract
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) received the first sample of perfluoropolyalkylether (PFPAE) liquid lubricant outside of private industry in the 1960s. The unique behavior of PFPAE fluids includes their excellent thermal stability (up to 345°C with appropriate additives) and excellent viscosity-temperature properties for the linear structures. Military applications are often cutting-edge technology requiring these unique properties, but other undesirable behavior such as tribo-corrosion has required investigations into basic understanding of PFPAE fluids. From the 1960s on, Air Force scientists have investigated many aspects of their behavior as summarized here. This presentation discusses various types of PFPAEs commercially available and highlights studies on elastohydrodynamic lubrication film formation, model compounds, additives, relative humidity relationship to wear, and potential U.S. military program applications.
Review led by Paul Bessette