Researchers at the R&D Center of Lubricating and Protecting Materials of the Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics have successfully synthesized a silicon-carbon compound by the additive reaction of the tetrapropenyl silicane and the tridecyl hydrogen silicane.

The silicon-carbon compound has a quite high thermal decomposition temperature, a good low-temperature property and a high viscosity index and can be used as lubricating oil for moving parts such as a bearing of a space satellite scanning mechanism and the like.

The researchers have received a Chinese invention patent for the synthesis technique. The patent is No. ZL:200810150853.8 received on May 18.

Lubricants with ultra-low vapor pressure, high thermal stability and good low temperature mobility are badly needed in areas such as space machines, electronic industry and computer industry. This is especially true for the lubrication of space machines as the moving parts of space machines are often used under special conditions, including high/low temperature, ultra-high vacuum, frequent switching on and off etc. In addition, there’s no back-up during the operation of moving parts in space so high reliability is required for lubricating materials and techniques. Under some circumstances, ultra-long service life is also required. Therefore, the research on lubricating techniques for moving parts of space vehicles is of great significance.

Though spacecrafts or satellites can use solid lubricating films, soft-metal coatings and lubricating grease, for most space machines with service life longer than one year, liquid lubricating devices have been installed. According to NASA’s report, the silicon-carbon compound is a kind of single molecule compound of which the molecular structure contains silicon, carbon and hydrogen elements. It has good high-low temperature property and can be used as new liquid lubricants for space machines under low temperature.

Molecular structure of the silicon-carbon compound. (Image by FENG Dapeng et al.)