High Performance Polymer for Dust Tolerant Extreme Environment Bearings (DTEEB-SEQ)

This project is focused on technology development of a polymer-based tribological coating that has previously shown potential for dust tolerance in sliding contacts, as in a cam follower for example.  The previous work, which was performed under SBIR phase I and II, will be extended to investigate the coating in rolling contacts suitable for rolling element bearings such as typically used in rotating space mechanisms.  The coating system will be investigated in basic tribological rolling contact tests (ex. ball on flat plate) designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the tribological properties of the coating, like friction and wear, under rolling contact.  Additionally, full bearing tests with varying environmental conditions including vacuum and dust exposure at the component level will be conducted to evaluate the coating in a relevant bearing geometry.  Lastly, a full scale system test is planned wherein a surrogate mechanism (harmonic drive) will be designed, manufactured, and tested to assess the coating system performance on bearings in a full scale mechanism commonly used in space flight hardware.  If successful, the work plan will advance the TRL of the coating technology to 5 or 6, making it a potential technology for infusion consideration into NASA lunar surface missions like Artemis III and beyond.  The coating system also has additional potential applications in both terrestrial and other space environments.  The earlier SBIR work included testing of the coating after aging exposure to Venus conditions, which combined with successful demonstration of tolerance to dust and severe environmental factors in this effort would make the technology attractive to many future NASA destinations, including Mars and Venus.  In addition, the contractor established a partnership under SBIR Phase IIe for this coating with a US valve manufacturer, demonstrating a potential commercialization path in addition to the potential space applications. 

​The coating system under development in this project has potential to support NASA's goals and needs for the Artemis Mission by enabling long-life rotating systems that can survive the range of challenging lunar surface conditions expected of human operations on the Moon.  Rotating mechanisms like rover drivetrains, excavation equipment, life support systems, etc. will be required to successfully operate in the extreme lunar environment for long durations without frequent, major maintenance.  Specific environmental conditions that pose a lubrication challenge for lunar mechanisms include wide temperature extremes at near perfect vacuum and extremely abrasive and pervasive regolith dust particles.  The coating system under development in this project has potential to provide lubrication for bearings exposed to these extreme effects as demonstrated in sliding contacts in earlier work.  The results of dust exposure testing in bearings should advance the understanding of the solid-lubricant coating to address these challenges in rolling contacts as well.  Further, extreme temperature tribology testing will demonstrate the enhanced temperature capabilities of the solid lubricant, and hard vacuum compatibility.  As such, successful demonstration of the polymer coating technology developed in this effort should prove to meet the needs of excavation, surface mobility, life support, and science, among other expected Lunar surface operations.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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