IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,404,474
Granted Patent B1
US 12,404,474 · App. 18/767,130 · Granted Sep 2, 2025

Environmentally stable solid lubricant coating

Inventors: Michael T. Dugger (Tijeras, NM); Steven Robert Larson (Albuquerque, NM); Alexander James Mings (Albuquerque, NM); John Francis Curry (Albuquerque, NM); Tomas Farley Babuska (Albuquerque, NM); Michael E. Chandross (Tijeras, NM); Nathaniel S. Bobbitt (Albuquerque, NM); Ping Lu (Albuquerque, NM)
Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
C10M103/06C10M2201/066C10N2010/12C10N2020/055C10N2050/023
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,404,474
App. No.
18/767,130
Granted
Sep 2, 2025
Kind
B1
Abstract

The invention is directed to environmentally stable solid lubricant coatings with bilayer transition-metal dichalcogenide structures that are designed to resist the effects of oxidation during long term storage, or during short exposures under conditions that would oxidize similar films that do not have these bilayer structures. In addition to improving oxidation resistance, these bilayer structures also facilitate the more rapid establishment of a low, steady-state friction coefficient than is possible with similar films that do not have these bilayer structures.

Claims (12)

1. A method for synthesizing environmentally stable bilayer solid lubricant coatings, comprising:

depositing an amorphous layer of a transition-metal dichalcogenide on a substrate; and

depositing a crystalline layer of the transition-metal dichalcogenide on the amorphous layer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transition-metal dichalcogenide comprises a transition metal atom, selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum, and niobium, and two chalcogen atoms, selected from the group consisting of sulfur, selenium, and tellurium.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the crystalline layer comprises randomly oriented crystallites.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the crystalline layer comprises a basally oriented crystalline layer.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of depositing the amorphous or crystalline layer comprises nitrogen spray deposition, physical vapor deposition, or atomic layer deposition.

6. An environmentally stable solid lubricant coating, comprising an amorphous layer of a transition-metal dichalcogenide on a substrate; and a crystalline layer of the transition-metal dichalcogenide on the amorphous layer.

7. The coating of claim 6 , wherein the transition-metal dichalcogenide comprises a transition metal atom, selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum, and niobium, and two chalcogen atoms, selected from the group consisting of sulfur, selenium, and tellurium.

8. The coating of claim 6 , wherein the crystalline layer comprises randomly oriented crystallites.

9. The coating of claim 6 , wherein the crystalline layer comprises a basally oriented crystalline layer.

10. The coating of claim 6 , wherein the crystalline layer has a thickness of less than 100 nanometers.

Assignments (2)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded May 28, 2026
From: NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS OF SANDIA, LLC
To: NNSA
Reel/Frame 074782/0545 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 26, 2024
From: BABUSKA, TOMAS FARLEY; SCOTT, NATHANIEL S.; CHANDROSS, MICHAEL E.; CURRY, JOHN FRANCIS; DUGGER, MICHAEL T.; LARSON, STEVEN ROBERT; LU, PING; MING, ALEXANDER JAMES
To: NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS OF SANDIA, LLC
Reel/Frame 068091/0201 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 63525772 · Jul 10, 2023
References Cited (9)
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US 5282985A · Zabinski · 1994 [cited by examiner]
US 20190362971A1 · Wong · 2019 [cited by examiner]
Curry, J. F. et al., “Highly Oriented MoS2 Coatings: Tribology and Environmental Stability,” 2016, Tribology Letters, vol. 64, 11. [cited by applicant]
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Scharf, T. W. Scharf et al., “Friction and wear mechanisms in MoS2/Sb2O3/Au nanocomposite coatings,” Acta Matererialia, 2010, vol. 58, pp. 4100-5109. [cited by applicant]
Vazirisereshk, M. R. Vazirisereshk et al., “Solid Lubrication with MoS2: A Review,” Lubricants, 2019, vol. 7, 57. [cited by applicant]
Cited By (1)
US 12,618,439