Abstract
THE lubricating properties of graphite have considerable practical importance and scientific interest. The explanation often quoted for the mechanism is based on the assumption that the loosely bound graphite layers slide easily over each other like a pack of cards when graphite is used as a lubricant between moving surfaces1. In this communication we report briefly on experiments which indicate that a hitherto unconsidered mechanism might be important.
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References
See, for example, Bowden, F. P., and Tabor, D., “The Friction and Lubrication of Solids” (Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1950).
Bacon, R., “Growth and Perfection of Crystals”, edit. by Doremus, Roberts and Turnbull (John Wiley, 1958).
Bowden, F. P., Young, J. E., and Rowe, G., Proc. Roy. Soc., A, 212, 439 (1952). Savage, R. H., J. App. Phys., 19, 1 (1948). Carter, R. L., quoted by Hove, J. E., Trans. Met. Soc., Amer. Inst. Met. Eng., 212, 7 (1958).
Tsuzuku, T., Proc. Conf. on Carbon, 433 (Pergamon, 1957).
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BOLLMANN, W., SPREADBOROUGH, J. Action of Graphite as a Lubricant. Nature 186, 29–30 (1960). https://doi.org/10.1038/186029a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/186029a0
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