Revolutionary Coating Reduces Economic Losses from Friction and Wear.

Scientists at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a coating made of carbon nanotubes that reduces friction in load-bearing systems with moving parts, such as vehicle drive trains and turbines, by at least a hundredfold. The coating reduces the friction of steel rubbing on steel to nearly zero, which could help reduce energy consumption and elongate the lifespan of systems. The ORNL coating could help reduce the US economy's annual loss of over $1 trillion to friction and wear, equivalent to 5% of the gross national product.