Boundary Lubrication Conditions Research Articles

Tribology behaviour of graphene-modified nanostructured Al2O3/3 % TiO2 coatings under boundary and mixed lubrication conditions

This study is focused on the preparation of a self-lubricating coating via thermal spraying. This coating was designed to control friction and lubrication in both boundary lubrication (BL) and mixed lubrication (ML) regimes. We aimed to compare the tribological behaviour of nanostructured Al2O3/3 % TiO2 and modified nanostructured Al2O3/3 % TiO2 incorporating 3 % GNPs coatings deposited by Oxygen-Fuel (OF). The critical conditions for the transition from BL to ML were experimentally studied using a fundamental tribological concept known as the Stribeck curve. A lubricating film consisting of detached GNPs, Al2O3 nanoparticle debris, and a conventional lubricant effectively covers the surface material and improves the mechanochemical interactions between the surface material and lubricating oil, thereby enhancing the tribological performance. The introduction of GNPs is found to play an effective role in the lubrication regime, leading to an increase in microhardness, a decrease in the friction coefficient and wear volume of the Al2O3/3 % TiO2 coating, and the steel counterpart disc. It noticeably improved the critical load-carrying capacity at different speeds during the transition from BL to ML regimes. The tribo-layer formed on the worn surfaces controls the tribological properties of the Al2O3/3 % TiO2 + 3 % GNPs coatings.

Effect of multi-scale fillers on the tribological behavior of UHMWPE composites in water-lubricated contacts

This study investigates the impact of graphite, hexagonal boron nitride and short carbon fibers, acting as micro- and nano-fillers, on the tribological performance of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) hybrid composites. The tribological performance is evaluated under boundary-lubrication conditions with distilled water at contact pressures in the range from 5 and 15 MPa. The fillers were found to work synergistically, with the best performance recorded when the compositions incorporated fillers of all scales. The most effective composite, consisting of short carbon fibers, micro-scale graphite, micro-scale hBN and nano-scale hBN, reduced the coefficient of friction by 75 %, reaching a value of 0.06, and the specific wear rate by two orders of magnitude to 2 × 10−7 mm3/Nm, compared to pure UHMWPE. The fillers' size also played an important role. Composites with nano-boron nitride led to 40 % lower friction compared to micro-scale fillers only. However, all the fillers reduced the amount of abrasive wear, especially the boron nitride, as a consequence of the tribochemical reaction between the boron nitride and water at the interface. Additionally, the formation of a transfer film was observed on the steel discs, with only short carbon fibers and graphite contributing to its formation from among the fillers used.

Microstructure alterations and white etching area formation in bearing steels under high-frequency dynamic loading

This article discusses the effects of various steels and lubricants on subsurface microstructural changes during a high-frequency dynamic pin-on-disc test under pure sliding and boundary lubrication conditions. Steel materials chosen for this study are 55SiMo8 steel, 100Cr6 steel, and 8 %Cr steel. Fully formulated polyalkylene glycols-based oil, synthetic hydrocarbon oil, and per-fluoro polyether base oil were selected as the lubricants. In 8 %Cr, the average roundness of large carbides was reduced by 33 % due to the deformation of carbides that occurred during severe cyclic loading. The outcomes showed that the material effect has a greater impact on the generation of white etching areas than the effect of lubricants under high-frequency dynamic loading.

Study of the effect of macrogeometry of rubbing steel bodies at their point contact on the tribological characteristics of lubricants under boundary lubrication conditions

The effect of the shape of contacting nonconformal elements of friction units that form an initial point contact on the tribological characteristics of lubricants during friction in the boundary lubrication mode. Point contact of rubbing bodies is realized on four-ball friction machines when testing tribological characteristics of lubricants in accordance with Russian GOST 9490–75 and GOST 23.221–84 Standards.However, these tests are carried out with the friction of standard bearing balls and does not allow taking into account the impact of materials of rubbing bodies on the results of the experiment. Therefore, two alternative designs of mandrels were developed, which allow implementation of two friction schemes: «rotating ball clamped in the spindle of the machine – three roller face planes» and «rotating ball — three cylindrical rollers». The load on the friction unit for both friction schemes, as well as in parallel on the mandrel under testing, in which three balls are installed, is the same (108 N), the spindle rotation speed is equal to 1 rpm, duration of testing is 60 min. The diameter of balls used in these experiments was 12.7 mm, and diameters of rollers were 5 and 8 mm, respectively. The material of samples was ShKh-15 tool steel or its 100Cr6 analogue. The designs of mandrels and the dimensions of samples were chosen in such a way that in all cases the contact areas of the experimental samples with the wearing (upper) ball would lie on a circle with a diameter of 7.32 mm. The tests were carried out under dry friction, and in boundary lubricated conditions in a PAO-4 polyalphaolefin oil medium, as well as in the same oil medium with the additives of oleic acid and DF-11 (a solution of zinc dialkyldithiophosphate in a low-viscosity oil). It is shown that the composition of a lubricating medium has a decisive effect on the test results (i.e., on the values of the friction coefficients and on the values of the areas of wear scars), while the geometry of the rubbing bodies, as well as the maximum Hertz stresses in the tribological contact, had a little effect on the antifriction and anti-wear characteristics of oils.

Dynamics of Tribofilm Formation in Boundary Lubrication Investigated Using In Situ Measurements of the Friction Force and Contact Voltage.

The complex dynamics of tribofilm formation on boundary-lubricated steel surfaces were investigated in real time by combining in situ measurements of the temporal variation of the coefficient of friction and contact voltage. Sliding experiments were performed with various blends consisting of base oil, zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate (ZDDP) additive, and two different dispersants at an elevated oil temperature for a wide range of normal load and fixed sliding speed. The evolution of the transient and steady-state coefficient of friction, contact voltage, and critical sliding distance (time) for stable tribofilm formation were used to evaluate the tribological performance of the tribofilms. The blend composition affected the load dependence of the critical sliding distance for stable tribofilm formation. Tribofilm friction was influenced by competing effects between the additive and the dispersants. Among various formulations examined, the tribofilm with the best friction characteristics was found to be the blend consisting of base oil, a small amount of ZDDP, and a bis-succinimide dispersant treated with ethylene carbonate. The results of this study demonstrate the effectiveness of the present experimental approach to track the formation and removal of protective tribofilms under boundary lubrication conditions in real time.

The 1 μm wear particles entrainment in situ observation via fluorescent staining silica particles by silane coupling with Rhodamine B

Observing wear debris during friction is crucial for comprehending the wear behavior of lubrication systems. Despite various techniques attempted for observation, a persistent challenge is the oversight of wear debris with a diameter less than 1 μm, mainly due to limitations in measurement systems. Consequently, we still lack a comprehensive understanding of whether these small particles can infiltrate contact points and serve as abrasives. In this study, we conducted in-situ friction tests to investigate the entrainment of imitation wear particles at the contact point under boundary lubrication conditions. These imitation wear particles were glass beads with diameters of approximately 0.8 μm, 1.0 μm, and 3.0 μm, respectively. To address optical limitations, we stained these particles using silane coupling to attach Rhodamine B to the glass beads. We examined the effect of particle diameter on entrainment numbers under varying outside oil film thicknesses. The results showed that the entrainment number was highest when the outside oil film thickness matched the particle diameter. This clearly indicated that the outside oil film thickness significantly influenced the entrainment of particles.

Exploring the potential of graphene nanoplatelets as a lubricant additive: Topography evolution and performance under boundary lubrication conditions

This work investigates the friction and wear reduction effects of adding functionalized graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) to a fully formulated engine oil. Friction tests using a continuous sliding/rolling ball-on-disk tribometer showed that 0.2 wt% GNP oil reduced friction by up to 28% and 11% in the boundary and elastohydrodynamic lubrication regimes, respectively. The disk tested with GNP oil also exhibited lower wear and evidence of carbon tribofilm formation. Raman spectroscopy indicated that the mechanical stresses in the tribological tests altered the graphene morphology. Furthermore, the study evaluated the literature mechanisms for graphene-induced friction and wear reduction, and concluded that the interplay between interlaminar shearing and protective film formation mechanisms was the most plausible explanation for the obtained results.

Induced Decomposition and Slip Interface Transformation of Oleic Acid Enables Ultralow Wear in Boundary Lubrication.

The tribological behavior of carboxylic acids, especially oleic acid, in boundary lubrication conditions is a subject of interest. This study presents the results of four-ball tribological tests conducted under varying contact pressures and sliding speeds. The findings reveal a critical turning speed within a confined zone, which causes a significant change in the frictional performances of oleic acid, leading to the formation of an ultralow wear tribofilm. This tribofilm, predominantly composed of oxyhydrogen compounds and hydrocarbons with more than five carbon atoms, is generated by the molecular action of oleic acid. Reactive nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate that the shear speed-dependent decomposition modes of oleic acid and the transformation of the lubrication slip interface are the fundamental processes underlying the formation of this ultralow-wear boundary tribofilm.

Effect of Mo Content on Friction and Wear Properties of Fe-Mn-Al-C Alloys Under Different Working Conditions

For this study, Fe-25Mn-9Al-8Cr-1C-xMo alloys (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 wt%) were prepared by mechanical alloying combined with vacuum hot-pressing sintering. The corresponding microstructure, mechanical properties, and friction and wear properties under different working conditions (dry friction, oil lubrication and sulfur-containing boundary lubrication) of materials were studied. The results show that the Fe-25Mn-9Al-8Cr-1C alloy is mainly composed of the austenite phase, Cr7C3 phase, and a small amount of a-Al2O3 phase. After adding Mo element, the Fe2MoC phase appears. With the increase of Mo content, the tensile strength and elongation of the alloys increase first and then decrease. In particular, when the Mo content is 0.3 wt%, an excellent combination of strength and toughness is obtained. The product of strength and elongation of the Fe-25Mn-9Al-8Cr-1C-0.3Mo alloy reaches a maximum value of 3.69 GPa·%, which is improved by 158.04% compared with the matrix alloys. With the increase of Mo content, the average friction coefficient and volume wear rate of the alloys show a trend of first decreasing and then increasing under different working conditions. Also, the average friction coefficient and volume wear rate of the alloy with 0.3 wt% Mo reach a minimum value, especially under the condition of sulfur-containing boundary lubrication. The average friction coefficient and volume wear rate of Fe-25Mn-9Al-8Cr-1C-0.3Mo alloy are 0.051 and 0.222 × 10−4 mm3·N−1·m−1, respectively, which are 40.69% and 46.38% lower than those of the matrix alloys.

Uncertainty Analysis of Friction and Wear-Rate of Cylinder Liner–Piston Ring Tribo Pair Under Boundary Lubrication Conditions

Abstract Uncertainty analyses can improve the reliability and validity of the assessment of friction and wear-rate of tribosystems. This work analyses the various sources of uncertainty in the estimation of friction and wear-rate of liner-ring pairs using a linear reciprocating tribometer (LRT) as per the analytical method suggested by Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM) and simulation approach using Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) method. The uncertainty analysis was conducted by performing sliding wear experiments using a hypereutectic Al–Si cylinder liner specimen against the chrome-coated piston ring as the counter specimen. The experiments were performed to mimic the engine’s condition under a boundary layer lubrication regime. The type A and type B uncertainty components of the tribosystem, such as uncertainty involved in the measurement of mass, linear dimensions of the specimen, radius of the specimen, normal force, stroke length, and frictional force, were evaluated to study their influence on the assessment of the friction and wear-rate. The probability density function of all these uncertainty sources was simulated using the MCS approach to compute the 95% coverage interval for friction and wear-rate directly. The variation in absolute value between the coverage interval limits computed by the GUM framework and predicted by the Monte Carlo method for wear-rate was 11.83%, and for friction coefficient, it was 12.005%.

Structural transformations and their impact on the mechanical and antifriction properties in the process of alloying graphitized hypereutectoid steel with copper

The purpose of the work is to develop a cast antifriction material based on an iron-carbon alloy with a high copper content for use in large, heavy duty sliding friction units. Using the casting method in self-hardening liquid glass mixtures, two specimens of hypereutectoid graphitized steel with different copper contents (0.09 and 8.76 wt.%) were produced. To obtain graphite in the steel structure, modification with the silicocalcium (SiCa) was used. The microstructural examination was carried out using optical metallography, SEM and TEM methods. The impact of copper on the structure as well as the mechanical and antifriction properties of graphitized hypereutectoid steel was studied. It was found that adding 8.76 wt.% of copper to the steel composition leads to an increase in the Brinell hardness level of the material from 250 to 300 HB, ultimate tensile strength from 250 to 380 MPa and compressive strength from 1050 to 1200 MPa, which is associated with an increase in the microhardness of pearlite from 350 to 420 HV. To assess the impact of copper on the sliding friction coefficient of graphitized hypereutectoid steel, a curve of sliding friction coefficient vs applied load was plotted; the experiment was carried out according to the liner-on-disk scheme. The wear resistance of materials under sliding friction conditions was also assessed using this method. Copper alloying has a positive effect on the wear resistance of graphitized hypereutectoid steel by increasing the mechanical properties of the material and also by reducing the level of the sliding friction coefficient under boundary lubrication conditions.

Study on the Sliding Tribological Behavior of Oleic Acid-Modified MoS2 under Boundary Lubrication.

The effects of MoS2 and MoS2 modified by adding oleic acid (OA) on the friction properties of lithium-based grease under boundary lubrication conditions are studied by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and experiment. A rough wall boundary lubrication MD model with peaks and grooves is established to simulate the mechanical properties and lubrication effects of three lubrication systems on rough walls for the relative shear velocity between the two solid walls of 5 m/s at 500 MPa. The stress, wear amount, friction force, normal pressure, and friction heat of the friction surface are quantitively calculated. Simultaneously, a Retc friction and wear testing machine is used to measure the friction coefficient under different concentrations of additives and different pressures. The results show that the grease added with MoS2 can reduce friction, wear, and the temperature between friction pairs. However, under high pressure and shear, MoS2 can easily agglomerate and accumulate in the pits, reducing the lubricating effect. At the same time, since OA-modified MoS2 can reduce agglomeration, the modified MoS2 is adsorbed on the metal wall surface, forming a stable lubricant film. The main contributions of this article can be found in combining MD simulation and experimentation, establishing the connection between micronano structures and macroscopic properties, exploring the mechanism of the influence of wall roughness and particle size on the friction performance of lubricating oil, and providing a theory for predicting and developing high-performance new lubricating grease.

Improving Wear Resistance of Highly Porous Titanium by Surface Engineering Methods

The wear resistance of highly porous titanium in the tribo-pair with bronze under boundary lubrication condition was investigated. According to analyses of worn surfaces of highly porous titanium, it was shown that the main reason of poor wear resistance were subsurface pores that led to nucleation of micro-cracks in the subsurface layer and thereby intensified fatigue (delamination) wear. For improvement of wear resistance of highly porous titanium, the surface engineering methods, such as deformation (ball burnishing, BB), diffusion (gas nitriding, GN), and their combination—deformation–diffusion treatment (DDT), were considered. It was shown that surface hardening of highly porous titanium by BB, GN, and DDT reduces the weight wear intensity and the friction coefficient of the tribo-pairs by 1.4, 3.5, 4.0 and 1.8, 2.3, 3.2 times, respectively. Such an improvement in the tribological properties of highly porous titanium after surface hardening is explained by changes in the main wear mechanism of the tribo-pairs from adhesive and fatigue to abrasive. The highest wear resistance of highly porous titanium was observed after surface deformation–diffusion treatment, as this treatment provides a combination of the positive effects of both ball burnishing (closing of surface pores) and nitriding (formation of a surface chemically inert and hard nitride layer).

Molecular dynamics simulation on engine oil nanolubricant boundary lubrication conditions

AbstractThe employment of nanoparticle additives in engine oil provides an effective technique for improvement in engine performance and emission. In this study, graphene, graphene–MWCNT, and graphene–SiO2 hybrid nanoparticles have been dispersed in engine oil (n‐decane) to measure the effects of microscopic characteristics of interfacial layer between the carbon–carbon, carbon–hydrogen, carbon–oxygen, and hydrogen–oxygen molecules under fixed shear rate 600 s−1. The boundary lubrication conditions are depicted with nanoindentation operation, in which interaction between the atoms generates the molecular forces under indentation and scratching operation that provide the nucleation and propagation of dislocation in the planes. The result shows that in an early stage of nanoindentation, plastic deformation occurs in the lubricant substrate around the indenter. Furthermore, forces generated in the z‐direction have a significant effect as compared with the forces x‐ and y‐directions. Nanoindentation results concluded that for graphene–MWCNT/engine oil (n‐decane) nanoparticles, at a volume fraction of 1.8%, the nanoparticles outperformed all other nanolubricants. At a volume fraction of 0.3%, the adhesion between the solid and liquid interface was increased by 2.5% graphene nanolubricant, 4% graphene–MWCNT nanolubricant, and 8% graphene–SiO2 nanolubricant. At 1.8% volume fraction, 240% increase in graphene–MWCNT nanolubricant, 72% increase in graphene nanolubricant, and 20% increase in graphene–SiO2 nanolubricant. This trend indicates that the performance of graphene SiO2 nanolubricants is superior at low‐volume fractions, whereas the performance of graphene nanolubricants and graphene–MWCNT nanolubricants is superior at high‐volume fractions. Also we observed the scratching effect of indenter on nanolubricants.

Tribological characteristics of hard-to-hard matching materials of cylinder block/valve plate interface in electro-hydrostatic actuator pumps

Axial piston pumps, serving as the essential power component in electro-hydrostatic actuators (EHA), play a crucial role in achieving advanced actuation by ensuring high efficiency and reliability. The cylinder block/valve plate interface, which is the greatest contact area inside the axial piston pump, significantly affects both leakage and energy dissipation. The interface experiences significant friction loss and severe wear in aerospace applications, primarily due to the rapidly changing mixed and boundary lubrication conditions under a wide range of speed and pressure. Therefore, to improve the efficiency and reliability of electro-hydrostatic actuators, strengthening the cylinder block/valve plate interface is a key problem to overcome. Previous studies have demonstrated that the utilization of soft-to-hard matching materials enhances the friction characteristics of the interface, but it also results in relatively severe wear on the soft material. Therefore, in this study, we propose the concept of employing hard-to-hard matching materials as a strategy to mitigate wear in axial piston pumps. An optimized friction simulation test apparatus is adopted, which contains a simulated piston structure to take the piston stirring effect into consideration. Experimental results show that the implementation of hard-to-hard materials leads to a substantial improvement in the wear resistance of the interface under a wide range of rotational speed (300–6000 rpm). The wear depths of the TiAlN/TiAlN (hard-to-hard) matching material are only 28.6%~34.7% of the tin bronze/TiAlN (soft-to-hard) matching material. Besides, compared with traditional tin bronze/nitrided (soft-to-hard) matching material, the hard-to-hard matching materials improve both friction and wear performance. The hard-to-hard matching materials provide a novel approach to reinforce the cylinder block/valve plate interface, and thus to promote volumetric efficiency and extend the service life of the axial piston pump.

Wear resistance by copolymers with controlled structure under boundary lubrication conditions

AbstractLubricants are of paramount importance in protecting metallic contact surfaces and reducing friction. The viscosity of lubricating oil can be engineered by introducing long linear polymers, such as poly(lauryl methacrylate) (PLMA). In particular, the formation of adsorption films by using polymers with hydroxy or amino side groups has attracted much attention in recent years. In this study, copolymers with controlled structure were synthesised by SARA ATRP, which can be used in large scale production. A comparison of friction and wear under boundary lubrication was conducted using both statistical and block copolymers with low Ð. Friction test results using a reciprocating sliding machine (SRV) showed that the block copolymers were less likely to desorb from the metal surface than the statistical copolymers. In addition, the wear evaluation after the SRV test showed that the block copolymer had less wear and less wear debris.

Current Knowledge on Friction, Lubrication, and Wear of Ethanol-Fuelled Engines—A Review

The urgent need for drastic reduction in emissions due to global warming demands a radical energy transition in transportation. The role of biofuels is fundamental to bridging the current situation towards a clean and sustainable future. In passenger cars, the use of ethanol fuel reduces gas emissions (CO2 and other harmful gases), but can bring tribological challenges to the engine. This review addresses the current state-of-the-art on the effects of ethanol fuel on friction, lubrication, and wear in car engines, and identifies knowledge gaps and trends in lubricants for ethanol-fuelled engines. This review shows that ethanol affects friction and wear in many ways, for example, by reducing lubricant viscosity, which on the one hand can reduce shear losses under full film lubrication, but on the other can increase asperity contact under mixed lubrication. Therefore, ethanol can either reduce or increase engine friction depending on the driving conditions, engine temperature, amount of diluted ethanol in the lubricant, lubricant type, etc. Ethanol increases corrosion and affects tribocorrosion, with significant effects on engine wear. Moreover, ethanol strongly interacts with the lubricant’s additives, affecting friction and wear under boundary lubrication conditions. Regarding the anti-wear additive ZDDP, ethanol leads to thinner tribofilms with modified chemical structure, in particular shorter phosphates and increased amount of iron sulphides and oxides, thereby reducing their anti-wear protection. Tribofilms formed from Mo-DTC friction modifier are affected as well, compromising the formation of low-friction MoS2 tribofilms; however, ethanol is beneficial for the tribological behaviour of organic friction modifiers. Although the oil industry has implemented small changes in oil formulation to ensure the proper operation of ethanol-fuelled engines, there is a lack of research aiming to optimize lubricant formulation to maximize ethanol-fuelled engine performance. The findings of this review should shed light towards improved oil formulation as well as on the selection of materials and surface engineering techniques to mitigate the most pressing problems.

Study on the Tribological Properties of Micro-Al2O3 Modified Carbon Fiber Hybrid-Reinforced Polymer

Micro-sized Al2O3-modified carbon fiber hybrid reinforced polymer composites (CFHRP) were prepared using the vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) process, and friction and wear tests were performed on an MRTR-1 multifunctional friction and wear tester to study the effect of carbon fiber surface doping with trace amounts of Al2O3 and its content on the tribological properties of carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites. The surface morphology of the composite material was characterized using a three-dimensional confocal laser scanning microscope (LSM). The results showed that under dry friction conditions, the wear behavior of the composite material with micro-Al2O3 added was mainly abrasive wear and adhesive wear. Under the condition of water lubrication, the friction coefficient of the composite material with micro-Al2O3 added was higher than that of the carbon fiber/epoxy resin-based composite material without Al2O3, and the abrasive wear and adhesive wear were significantly reduced. In addition, under the condition of water lubrication, the cooling and boundary lubrication of water played a dominant role in the tribological behavior, so the influence of transfer film on the tribological behavior of the composite material was smaller than that under dry friction conditions. When the micro alumina content is 6%, the friction and wear reduction of CFHRP composite material are improved under water containing conditions. Under dry friction conditions, the content of micrometer alumina has a minimal effect on the change in friction coefficient.

Mathematical model of running-in of tribosystems under conditions of boundary lubrication. Part 2. Simulation results

The paper presents the results of mathematical modeling of tribosystems running-in processes when various factors are changed: design parameters of tribosystems, which are taken into account by the form factor; tribological properties of the lubricating medium; rheological properties of composite materials in the tribosystem; roughness of friction surfaces; load and sliding speed. By comparing the theoretically obtained results, by modeling according to the developed models, with experimental data, it was established that the mathematical model adequately reflects the running-in processes taking into account the changes in constructive, technological and operational factors. Applying the Cochrane criterion, it was established that the obtained experimental results are homogeneous and reproducible. The maximum value of the coefficient of variation of the values of the volumetric wear rate and the coefficient of friction is within the limits v = 12,3 - 26,5%. The value of the simulation error is within the limits v = 7,7 - 12,9%.
 A rating of factors that maximally affect the processes of running-in of tribosystems in the conditions of extreme lubrication has been obtained. In the first place is the roughness of the friction surfaces, the coefficient of variation v = 26,5%. In the second place – the load on the tribosystem during running-in, the coefficient of variation v = 20,8%. In third place is the value of sliding speed during running-in, the coefficient of variation v = 18,6%. The conclusion made must be taken into account when developing a rational program for running-in tribosystems in conditions of extreme lubrication.
 The methodical approach of applying the acoustic emission method in the study of tribosystem running-in processes is presented. It is proved in the work that in order to determine the volume rate of wear during tribosystem running-in, it is necessary to register and analyze the fourth cluster from the general acoustic emission signal. The sources of signal generation of the fourth cluster are microcutting and plastic deformation of protrusions of the roughness of the friction surface, which is characteristic of the first stages of running-in.

Tribological properties of 100% cellulose nanofiber (CNF) molding under dry- and boundary lubrication-conditions at CNF/steel contacts

Cellulose nanofibers (CNFs), which are plant-derived materials, have recently garnered considerable attention owing to their excellent mechanical properties, such as their low weight and high Young’s modulus. Novel methods for producing 100% CNF bulk structural materials have been developed. However, the tribological properties of CNFs have not been investigated thus far although their mechanical properties are known and are comparable to those of some conventional structural materials. In this study, the tribological properties of a novel biomass material, 100% CNF molding, were investigated based on CNF/steel contacts under dry and boundary lubrication conditions at various temperatures. The friction test results showed that the friction coefficient and wear volume of the CNF molding increased with the test temperature of the CNF/steel tribopair under dry-sliding conditions. Conversely, no significant temperature dependence of the friction and wear properties was observed upon lubrication with a pure polyalfaolefin. The surface analytical results revealed that the amorphization of the CNF molding progressed on the worn surface, especially under dry-sliding conditions at a high temperature. All the results suggested that the friction and wear performance of the 100% CNF moldings strongly depends on the sliding test conditions, and the amorphization process of the CNF molding can affect its friction and wear performance.