Thermal degradation of fullerene-containing polymer systems and formation of tribopolymer films

The thermal degradation of fullerene-polymer systems and tribological properties of mineral oils containing C 60 fullerene additives were studied. Based on the results obtained, a hypothesis on the factors responsible for the formation of a protective fullerene-polymer film on metal friction surfaces was advanced. Fullerene-containing additives to mineral oils not only enhance friction-reducing, extreme-pressure, and antiwear properties of the oils but also shorten the running-in period of friction assemblies and improve the running-in quality. The electron-acceptor properties of C 60 , which were revealed in studying the thermal degradation of C 60 blends with polymers, suggest that fullerenes play a stabilizing role in any type of polymer degradation (in particular, during mechanically induced degradation of polymers in friction assemblies) if the temperature range of degradation lies below the temperature of breaking β bonds between a polymer and a fullerene.