Fastener Anti-Galling Coatings
Surface Treatment and Coating System for Vacuum Fasteners
Fastener anti-galling coatings are specialized surface treatments, including silver plating, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) dry film lubricants, and zinc-nickel layers, applied to structural fasteners to prevent mechanical seizure and corrosion. In the lunar vacuum, bare metal interfaces are prone to cold welding under contact pressure, making protective coatings essential for reusable hardware. Systems utilizing silver-plated titanium, passivated stainless steel, or extreme-temperature MoS2 dry films eliminate direct metal adhesion and prevent debris generation during installation, enabling threaded fasteners to endure multiple mate and demate cycles across 100-year settlement maintenance lifespans.
Anti-galling and corrosion-resistant coatings enabling reliable fastener use in vacuum
Purpose
Anti-galling and corrosion-resistant coatings enabling reliable fastener use in vacuum
Context
Child of L2-STR-FAST
Principles
- ▸Silver plating on titanium provides excellent anti-galling in vacuum
- ▸Cadmium plating alternatives (zinc-nickel) for environmental compliance
- ▸MoS2 dry film lubricant for extreme temperature applications
- ▸Passivation of stainless steel prevents oxide debris generation during installation
Typical implementations
- ▸AMS 2410 silver plating specification for fasteners
- ▸MIL-DTL-81329 MoS2 dry film lubricant
- ▸NASA-STD-6016 corrosion and coating requirements
Lunar considerations
- ▸Cold welding in vacuum makes anti-galling coatings critical for reusable fasteners
- ▸Coating must survive multiple mate/demate cycles for maintenance over 100 years
- ▸MoS2 lubricant excellent in vacuum but degrades in presence of moisture
Specifications
Functional
| primary function | Anti-galling and corrosion-resistant coatings enabling reliable fastener use in vacuum |
Physical
| materials | Silver plating, MoS2 dry film, Zinc-nickel plating, PTFE-infused anodizing |
Interfaces
Provides
- Anti-galling surface treatment for bolts
Requires
- Coating reapplication capability
Cite this entry
Lunar Ark Codex. "Fastener Anti-Galling Coatings" (L3-STR-FAST-COAT). Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://lunarark.com/entry/L3-STR-FAST-COAT
Licensed CC-BY-SA 4.0. You may reuse and adapt this entry with attribution, under the same licence.