Handbook of Space Lubricating Materials and Technology, complied by Professor Liu Weimin, director of LICP, Professor Weng Lijun and Professor Sun Jiayi, was published by the Science Press recently. The preface to the book was contributed by Prof. Xue Qunji, member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

Compared with lubricating materials and technology used in normal conditions, lubricating materials and technology for space use have their own particularity, namely the application environment and motion conditions of space lubricating materials and technology are different from atmospheric environment.Space application usually involves ultrahigh vacuum, microgravity, high and low temperature alternating, oxide-reducing medium, atomic oxygen, ultraviolet irradiation (extravehicular environment) and other special environment.The particularity of motion conditions mean that there is coexistence of many motions, such as light load/high speed, heavy load/low speed, high ration load, high speed, low speed, long halt and random start in vacuum environment, in one system.In view of this, it needs to carry out lubrication design respectively according to the specific motion mechanism and specific working conditions of moving parts. With the development of China’s space cause, people are more and more aware of the importance of the space lubrication. Thereby, it is urgent for designers of space motion mechanism and mechanical engineers to have a handbook as the reference or guidance in their work.

On the basis of the authors’ own research on space lubricating materials and technology and by taking previous research achievements in this field as reference, the writers made a summary of China’s research on space lubricating materials and technology in the past 20 years. The book provides a systematic analysis of and elaboration on lubricating materials and technology for space use. Altogether there are 8 chapters in this book, namely Basic Tribology, Solid Lubricating Materials and Technology, Liquid Lubricating Materials and Technology, Solid-Liquid Lubrication, Elements and Materials for Mechanical Friction in Space, Selection of Lubrication Modes, Experimental Techniques and Methods of Lubricating Materials, Environmental Behavior of Lubricating Materials. 

Part of the latest research achievements in the book are from the “Research on Space Lubricating Materials and Technology”, project supported by the Foundation for Innovative Research Groups of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, “Basic Research on Lubricating and Anti-wear Materials Under Harsh Conditions”, project supported by the State Key Development Program for Basic Research of China, and other related projects undertaken by the authors.

Cover of the book