Kurt R. Fisch

Compatibility of Lubricants with Missile Fuels and Oxidizers

A variety of compounds was studied to determine their suitability as lubricants in the presence of fuels and oxidizers used in missile systems. The classes of compounds studied were the halogenated aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, the silicon and perfluoro compounds, esters, ethers, and compounds containing nitrogen. The fuels and oxidizers included ethyl alcohol, hydrocarbon fuel, unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine, diethylenetriamine, a mixture of the latter two, hydrogen peroxide, inhibited red fuming nitric acid, and liquid oxygen. The most promising compounds were studied for their extreme pressure, antiwear, volatility, and viscometric properties. Three compounds were found to be completely inert (unreactive and insoluble) with all the fuels and oxidizers. One was a liquid (perfluorotributylamine) and the other two were solids (polytetrafluoroethylene and tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer). The perfluorotributylamine exhibited adequate lubrication properties except for excessive vol...