January 2005

Fullerenes: Optimising surfaces for anti-wear applications

The problem of the tribological behaviour of materials had focussed on either improving friction or prioritising less wear and tear. The target of FOREMOST is to achieve both effects simultaneously and, to this end, the project will be based on the use of inorganic fullerenes (molybdenum bisulphate and bisulphate of wolframite). These new alotropic states of these well-known solid lubricants have the property of forming spheres of a few nanometers in diameter and forming layers like onion skins which act as "nano ball bearings" between the surfaces in contact.

The inorganic fullerenes are to be incorporated into three product families:

The consortium is made up of Ion Bond, Microcoat, Fuchs Petrolub, Spolchemie, Nanomaterials, Renault, EADS, Rolls-Royce and Goodrich, amongst others. Also participating is the Institute of Materials Sciences of the National Council for Scientific Research and Fatronik Technological Centre. The Basque Technological Centre TEKNIKER is taking part as co-ordinator in a project that involves 31 bodies from 13 different countries.

According to the dates established, this large-scale integrated project will start its activities in March 2004 and conclude in September 2008.