Temperature‑Dependent Friction, Wear, and Life of MoS₂ Dry Film Lubricants for Space Mechanisms: A Comprehensive Review

Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2) is the most widely used dry film lubricant (DFL) for moving mechanical assemblies that operate in space. For these applications, the MoS2 must provide low friction and wear across a range of temperatures. The temperature dependence of MoS2 tribological behavior has been studied previously. However, the number of temperatures and conditions that can be tested in a single study is necessarily limited, making it difficult to predict or understand the performance of DFLs more broadly. To address this, this review article summarizes and analyzes the results from prior studies of temperature-dependent tribological behavior of MoS2-based dry film lubricants. Friction, wear, and wear life data are compiled into a plot matrix and trends are identified. Then, the mechanisms that have been proposed to explain observed trends are summarized. Finally, gaps in the knowledge and opportunities for future work are discussed such that researchers can build on existing studies to enhance the reliability and performance of MoS2-based dry film lubricants in space environments. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11249-025-02052-6.