Short Description
The Cryo-Tribometer enables to derive friction and wear from cryogenic temperatures up to room temperature. It works in gHe (gaseous Helium) or vacuum environment. The Cryo-Tribometer consists of a tube-like vacuum-chamber (crystat) with a power train on top of it. The cryostat is capable of cooling with liquid nitrogen or helium. The test-pair (containing "upper" and "lower" disc and three pins) are mounted inside a vacuum-tube so the wear contact is under vacuum (or gHe).
Contact Person
Aerospace & Advanced Composits GmbH
Research Services
Determination of Coefficient of Friction at low temperature
Methods & Expertise for Research Infrastructure
For tribological characterizations of materials tribometers offer the best way to derive friction, wear and a fore-cast for the life-time. Temperature can have a huge impact onto the tribological behaviour of materials and especially cryogenic temperatures can sometimes not be avoided for mechanisms exposed to the harsh environment of space.