Abstract
This study was designed to investigate the influence of oil temperature and contact pressure on the tribological performance of three industrial gear oils but also on the corresponding changes taking place beneath the metal surfaces in contact. The result shows that increase in the oil temperature and contact pressure increases surface–additive interaction, promoting the formation of low-friction tribofilms. Subsurface characterisation of the worn surfaces shows that higher oil temperature and contact pressure promotes surface hardening of spheroidised AISI 52100 steel, degradation of the near-surface (< 0.8 µm) microstructural integrity and corresponds to an increase in wear. This study clearly shows that the gear oil formulations and the tribofilms they form uniquely influence the extent of subsurface deformation and wear.
Highlights
Industrial gearboxes are becoming smaller and expected to produce more power
In the boundary lubrication regime, friction and wear performance of gear oils is determined by the nature of tribofilms they form
This section focuses on the influence of oil temperature and contact pressure on the nature of tribofilm formed and the corresponding tribological performance
Summary
An increase in the power density of gearboxes increases the severity of contact in gears and bearings. This places greater demand on the performance of gear oils which are expected to operate under higher contact pressure and wider operating temperature. When engineering surfaces slide against each other under high load, high pressure and temperatures can develop at the load-carrying asperities, promoting severe wear. Friction and wear additives are added to gear oils to promote low friction and minimise excessive wear. These additives and the tribofilm they form help to reduce contact pressure and temperature by better distributing the load over the apparent surface [1]. There are several aspects of a tribofilm that contributes to its effectiveness in a tribosystem such as how
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