The Friction and Wear Properties of the Spherical Plain Bearings with Self-lubricating Composite Liner in Oscillatory Movement

A test method based on the condition simulation and a friction and wear test machine featuring in oscillatory movement were set up for self-lubricating spherical plain bearings (SPB). In the machine the condition parameters such as load, angle and frequency of oscillation and number of test cycles can be properly controlled. The data relating to the tribological properties of the bearing, in terms of friction coefficient, linear wear amount, temperature near friction surface and applied load, can be monitored and recorded simultaneously during test process by a computerized measuring system of the machine. Efforts were made to improve the measurement technology of the friction coefficient in oscillating motion. In result, a well-designed bearing torque mechanism was developed, which could reveal the relation between the friction coefficient and the displacement of oscillating angle in any defined cycle while the curve of friction coefficient vs number of testing cycles was continuously plotted. The tribological properties and service life of four kinds of the bearings, i.e, the sampleⅠ-Ⅳ with different self-lubricating composite liners, including three kinds of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fiber weave/epoxy resin composite liners and a PTFE plastic/copper grid composite liner, were evaluated by testing, and the wear mechanisms of the liner materials were analyzed.

Effects of Friction Heat on the Tribological Properties of the Woven Self-lubricating Liner

In the dry-sliding process of the woven self-lubricating liner which is used in the self-lubricating spherical plain bearing, the friction heat plays an important role in the tribological performances of the liner. It has important value to study on the relationship between tribological performances of the liner and the friction heat. Unforttmately, up to now, published work on this relationship is quite scarce. Therefore, the effect of friction heat on the tribological performances of the liner was investigated in the present work. The tribological behaviors of the liner were evaluated by using the high temperature end surface wear tester. Scanning electron microscopy （SEM） was utilized to examine the morphologies of worn surfaces of the liner and study the failure modes. Differential scanning calorimetry （DSC） measurement and X-ray diffraction （XRD） analysis were performed to study the behaviors of the wear debris. The temperature rise on the worn surface was calculated according to classical models. SEM observation shows that the dominating wear mechanism for the liner is mainly affected by friction shear force, contact pressure and friction heat. Higher fusion heat for the wear debris than that for the pure polytetrafluroethylene （PTFE） indicates that the PTFE is the main portion of the wear debris, and, the PTFE in the wear debris shows a higher crystallisation degree owing to the effects of friction shear force and the friction heat. Combining the calculated temperature rise results with the wear rate of the liner, it can be concluded that the effects of temperature rise o n the tribological performances of the liner become more obvious when the temperature rise exceeds the glass transition temperature （Tg） of the PTFE. The wear resistance of the liner deteriorates dramatically when the temperature rise approaches to the melting point （Ton） of the PTFE. The tribological performances of the liner can be improved when the temperature rise exceeds Tg but is far lower than Ton- The present study on the relationship between the temperature rise and the tribological performances of the liner may provide the basis for further understanding of the wear mechanisms of the liner as well as the relationship between the formation of the PTFE transfer film and the friction heat during the dry-sliding of the Finer.

Tensile,compressive and wear behaviour of self-lubricating sintered magnesium based composites

The graphite （Gr）/MoS2 reinforced Mg self-lubricating composites were prepared through powder metallurgy. The composites were characterized for microstructure, physical, mechanical and wear properties. Gr/MoS2 phase in the composites was identified by XRD analysis. Microstructural observation showed that the Gr/MoS2 particles were homogeneously dispersed within the magnesium matrix. Micro-hardness was measured using an applied load of 5 g with a dwell time of 15 s at room temperature. Hardness of all the composites was measured to be in the range of VHN 29？34. The mechanical properties were studied using micro-hardness, tensile and compression tests. A fractographic analysis was performed using scanning electron microscope. The highest values of hardness, compressive strength and tensile strength were attained using Mg-10MoS2 composite. A pin-on-disk tribometer was used to measure the friction coefficient and the wear loss of the sintered composites. In addition to that, the friction and wear mechanism of the composites were systematically studied by worn surface characterization and wear debris studies using SEM analysis. The reduced friction coefficient and wear loss were achieved in MoS2 rather than Gr.

Self-lubricating behavior of Fe_(22)Co_(26)Cr_(20)Ni_(22)Ta_(10)high-entropy alloy matrix composites

Eutectic high entropy alloys(EHEAs)have high temperature stability,good mechanical properties,and are promising for tribological applications at high temperatures.To study the high temperature lubrication behavior,Fe_(22)Co_(26)Cr_(20)Ni_(22)Ta_(10)−(BaF_(2)/CaF_(2))x(x=3−20,wt.%)composites were prepared by spark plasma sintering(SPS),with BaF_(2)/CaF_(2) eutectic powder used as solid lubricant.The lubrication behavior and mechanical properties were studied at both room and high temperatures.With the increase of the content of BaF_(2)/CaF_(2) eutectic powder,the friction coefficients and the wear rates of the composites at 600 and 800℃ decrease significantly.The composites with eutectic powder content of 15 and 20 wt.%have the best lubricating performance at 600℃,with low friction coefficient and wear rates,mainly due to the good mechanical properties of EHEA matrix,the lubrication effect of BaF_(2)/CaF_(2) phase and the oxides formed on the worn surface.

Effects of copper-coated MoS_(2) on friction performance of bronze-graphite-MoS_(2) self-lubricating materials

Two kinds of bronze-graphite-MoS_(2) self-lubricating materials with copper-coated MoS_(2) and uncoated MoS_(2) were prepared by powder metallurgy.Friction and wear experiments were carried out under 4 N and 10 N loads respectively,and the effects of copper-coated MoS_(2) on the friction performances of the materials were studied.Results showed that the way of copper-coated on the surface of MoS_(2) could reinforce the bonding between MoS_(2) and matrix,and inhibited the formation of MoO_(2).Moreover,both materials formed a MoS_(2) lubricating film on the surface during the friction process.While the lubricating film formed after copper coating on MoS_(2) was thicker and had uneven morphology,it was more conducive to improving the friction performance of the material.Compared with conventional materials,the wear rate of copper-coated materials was reduced by one order of magnitude,and the friction coefficient was also reduced by 22.44% and 22.53%,respectively,when sliding under 4 N and 10 N loads.It shows that copper-coated MoS_(2)can improve friction properties of bronze-graphite-MoS_(2)self-lubricating materials furtherly.

Tribological Behavior of Ni-based Self-lubricating Composites with the Addition of Ti3SiC2 and Ag2W2O7

The tribological properties of Nickel-based composites containing Ti3 SiC2 and Ag2 W2 O7 fabricated by spark plasma sintering against Si3 N4 balls were investigated using a ball-on-disk tribometer from room temperature to 600 ℃. The tribolayers formed on the friction surface and their effects on the tribological properties of composites at different temperatures were discussed based on the worn surface characterization. The results show that Ag2 W2 O7 is decomposed into metallic silver and CrWO4 during the high-temperature fabrication process. The composite with the addition of 20 wt% Ti3 SiC2 and 5 wt% Ag2 W2 O7 exhibits a friction coefficient of 0.33-0.49 and a wear rate of 7.07×10-5-9.89×10-5 mm3/（Nm） over a wide temperature range from room temperature to 600 ℃. The excellent tribological properties at a wide temperature range are attributed to the formation of a glaze layer at low temperature and a tribooxide layer at high temperature, which can provide a low shearing strength for the synergistic effects of Ag and tribooxides.

Study on Solid Self-Lubricating Material for Plasma Facing Components in EAST

In this study, the friction performance of self-lubricating material with the counterpart steel ball-plate rubbing was investigated in vacuum conditions and the thermal distortion of the heat sink sample was tested. The analysis and test results show that the self-lubricating ma- terial has excellent anti-friction properties in high vacuum condition and can decrease the thermal stress and avoid damage to the PFCs during physical experiments.

Tribological Properties of Self-lubricating Laminated Ceramic Materials

In order to improve the tribological properties of ceramic composites, Al2O3/TiC-Al2O3/ TiC/CaF2 self-lubricating laminated ceramic composites were prepared by vacuum hot pressing sintering. Experiments were conducted to get mechanical properties and the friction and wear properties were also measured with friction and wear tester. The worn surfaces were observed by scanning electron microscope （SEM） and energy dispersion spectrum （EDS）. The wear resistance properties and the self-lubricating effect of ceramic composites were analyzed. Results show that the Al2O3/TiC-Al2O3/TiC/CaF2 self-lubricating laminated ceramic composites layers are well-defined with a higher bonding strength and the mechanical performances are uniform enough to overcome the anisotropy of weak laminated ceramic composites. In addition, the fracture toughness of Al2O3/TiC layers is also improved. Its friction coefficient and wear rates decrease with the increase of rotation speed and load. Al2O3/TiC-Al2O3/TiC/CaF2 self-lubricating laminated ceramic composites have good wear resistance because of the tribofilm formed by the CaF2 solid lubricants. The wear mechanisms of Al2O3/TiC/ CaF2 layers are abrasive wear and Al2O3/TiC layers are adhesive wear.

High temperature self-lubricating Ti-Mo-Ag composites with exceptional high mechanical strength and wear resistance

Titanium alloys are of keen interest as lightweight structural materials for aerospace and automotive in-dustries.However,a longstanding problem for these materials is their poor tribological performances.Herein,we designed and fabricated a multiphase Ti-Mo-Ag composite(TMA)with heterogeneous triple-phase precipitation(TPP)structure by spark plasma sintering.A lamellarα-phase(αL)precipitates from theβ-phase under furnace cooling conditions and maintains a Burgers orientation relationship(BOR)withβ-matrix.An active eutectic transition also occurs in the titanium matrix,resulting in TiAg phase.The intersecting acicular TiAg and lamellarαL cutβgrains into fine blocks and the primary equiaxedαphase also provides many interfaces withβphase,which together effectively impede dislocation move-ment and increase strength.Compared with other titanium composites,TMA with TPP microstructure gets an excellent combination of strength(yield strength 1205 MPa)and toughness(fracture strain 27%).Furthermore,the TPP structure endows TMA with strong cracking resistance,which aids in reducing abra-sive debris at high temperatures during sliding and obtaining a low wear rate.Simultaneously,Ag parti-cles distributed at grain boundaries will easily diffuse to the wear surface,in situ forming the necessary lubricating phase Ag_(2)MoO_(4) with Mo-rich matrix debris via oxidation.TMA possesses excellent tribologi-cal properties with especially low wear rate of 8.0 x 10^(-6)mm^(3)N^(-1)m^(-1) and friction coefficient(CoF)of merely 0.20 at 600℃.Unlike other self-lubricating composites with high volume fraction of soft ceramic lubricants,which inevitably sacrifice their mechanical strength and ductility,the composite TMA pos-sesses well-balanced strength,toughness and self-lubricating properties.It holds important implications to design other metal matrix self-lubricating composites(MMSCs)used for load-bearing moving parts.

Modeling and prediction of tribological properties of copper/aluminum-graphite self-lubricating composites using machine learning algorithms

The tribological properties of self-lubricating composites are influenced by many variables and complex mechanisms.Data-driven methods,including machine learning(ML)algorithms,can yield a better comprehensive understanding of complex problems under the influence of multiple parameters,typically for how tribological performances and material properties correlate.Correlation of friction coefficients and wear rates of copper/aluminum-graphite(Cu/Al-graphite)self-lubricating composites with their inherent material properties(composition,lubricant content,particle size,processing process,and interfacial bonding strength)and the variables related to the testing method(normal load,sliding speed,and sliding distance)were analyzed using traditional approaches,followed by modeling and prediction of tribological properties through five different ML algorithms,namely support vector machine(SVM),K-Nearest neighbor(KNN),random forest(RF),eXtreme gradient boosting(XGBoost),and least-squares boosting(LSBoost),based on the tribology experimental data.Results demonstrated that ML models could satisfactorily predict friction coefficient and wear rate from the material properties and testing method variables data.Herein,the LSBoost model based on the integrated learning algorithm presented the best prediction performance for friction coefficients and wear rates,with R^(2) of 0.9219 and 0.9243,respectively.Feature importance analysis also revealed that the content of graphite and the hardness of the matrix have the greatest influence on the friction coefficients,and the normal load,the content of graphite,and the hardness of the matrix influence the wear rates the most.

Flexible metal–organic frameworks based self-lubricating composite

To expand the use of metal–organic frameworks(MOFs)based self-lubricating composite,flexible MOFs MIL-88D has been studied as a nanocontainer for loading lubricant.In this work,the mechanism of oleamine adsorption and desorption by MIL-88D was investigated through molecular simulations and experiments.Molecular simulations showed that the oleamines can be physically adsorbed into open MIL-88Ds with the Fe and O atoms of MIL-88D interacting with oleamine NH2-group.Higher temperature can cause Ole@MIL-88D to release more oleamines,while higher pressure on Ole@MIL-88D caused less oleamines released.Moreover the Ole@MIL-88D was incorporated into epoxy resin(EP)for friction tests.The optimum mass ratio of MIL-88D to EP is 15 wt%,and the EP/Ole@MIL-88D prefers light load and high frequency friction.This work suggests that flexible MOFs can be used as a nanocontainer for loading lubricant,and can be used as a new self-lubricating composite.

Effect of filler on the self-lubrication performance of graphite antimony composites

Graphite antimony composites were prepared using a mechanical pressure infiltration method to force molten antimony into graphite preforms having a percolation micro-structure and a hop-pocket power filler. The micro-structural and macroscopic properties of the graphite antimony composites were analysed. Observations included metallographic analysis, physical properties and friction and wear behaviour. The results show that the wear loss is decreased by 12.24% and that the friction coefficient is re-duced by 32.61% after hop-pocket power was used. The research indicates that the hop-pocket power method gives a useful way to reduce friction coefficients and wear loss, and to increase service life and self-lubrication properties, of the graphite antimony seal-ing material as compared to carbon black.

Effect of surface roughness on the surface lubrication performance of galvanized steel sheets with a self-lubricated coating

Four kinds of galvanized steel sheets having different surface roughness values were used to prepare the steel sheets with a self-lubricated coating. The effects of surface roughness on the surface lubrication performance of the steel sheets were examined using a friction coefficient tester. Results revealed large dynamic friction coefficients for the galvanized steel sheets, which increased remarkably with surface roughness. Once the self-lubricated coating was applied, significant drops in the dynamic friction coefficients were measured. After the first stage of the friction test,the coefficients were almost unchanged, which reflected a weak dependence on the surface roughness of the self-lubricated steel sheets. However, the dynamic friction coefficients gradually increased as the test progressed, where these increase clearly correlated with the surface roughness of the self-lubricated steel sheets.

Formation and characterization of self-lubricated carbide layer on AA6082 Al-Mg-Si aluminum alloy by electrical discharge alloying process

The surface modification on the AA6082 Al?Mg?Si aging-hardenable aluminum alloy was investigated by electricaldischarge alloying (EDA) process. Kerosene, used as a dielectric fluid, was pyrolytically decomposed into carbon for the formationof a self-lubricated carbide layer on the aluminum alloy surface during EDA process. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)image found that the self-lubricated carbide layer was a multi-phase material with carbides and graphite. As a result, theEDA-modified aluminum alloy had a negligible wear rate of ~2?10?4 mg/m (c. f. ~1.1?10?2 mg/m for aluminum alloy substrate).Notably, a new characteristic was found that the EDA-processed carbide layer was a soft magnet, which improved theelectromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance of the alloy.

Progresses on cryo-tribology:lubrication mechanisms,detection methods and applications

Tribology at cryogenic temperatures has attracted much attention since the 1950s with the acceleration of its applications in high-tech equipment such as cryogenic wind tunnels,liquid fuel rockets,space infrared telescopes,superconducting devices,and planetary exploration,which require solid lubrication for moving parts at low temperatures down to 4 K in cryogenic liquid,gaseous,or vacuum environments.Herein,the research progress regarding cryo-tribology is reviewed.The tribological properties and mechanisms of solid lubricants listed as carbon materials,molybdenum disulfide,polymers,and polymer-based composites with decreasing temperature are summarized.The friction coefficient increases with decreasing temperature induced by thermally activated processes.The mechanism of transfer film formation should be considered as a significant way to enhance the tribological properties of solid lubricants.In addition,applications of solid lubrication on moving parts under cryogenic conditions,such as spherical plain bearings and roller bearings,are introduced.The technology for tribological testing of materials and bearings at cryogenic temperatures is summarized,where the environmental control,motion and loading realization,as well as friction and wear measurement together in a low-temperature environment,result in the difficulties and challenges of the low-temperature tribotester.In particular,novel technologies and tribotesters have been developed for tribotests and tribological studies of solid lubricants,spherical plain bearings,and roller bearings,overcoming limitations regarding cooling in vacuum and resolution of friction measurement,among others,and concentrating on in-situ observation of friction interface.These not only promote a deep understanding of friction and wear mechanism at low temperatures,but also provide insights into the performance of moving parts or components in cryogenic applications.

In-situ preparation of robust self-lubricating composite coating from thermally sprayed ceramic template

The self-lubricating ceramic coatings that can control friction and wear have attracted researchers’widespread attention.However,the poor interfacial bonding between lubricants and ceramics and the deterioration of mechanical properties due to a tribological design limit their practical applications.Here,a robust self-lubricating coating was fabricated by an in-situ synthesis of MoS_(2)/C within inherent defects of thermally sprayed yttria-stabilized zirconia(YSZ)coatings.The edge-pinning by noncoherent endows hybrid coatings with excellent interfacial strength,increasing their hardness(HV)and cohesive strength.Furthermore,owing to the formation of a well-covered robust lubricating film at a frictional interface,a coefficient of friction(COF)can be reduced by 79.6%to 0.15,and a specific wear rate(W)drops from 1.36×10^(−3) to 6.27×10^(−7) mm^(3)·N^(−1)·m^(−1).Combining outstanding mechanical properties and tribological performance,the hybrid coating exhibits great application potential in controlling friction and wear.Importantly,this strategy of introducing the target materials into the inherent defects of the raw materials to improve the relevant properties opens new avenues for the design and preparation of composite materials.

Preparation and tribological performances of Ni-P-multi-walled carbon nanotubes composite coatings

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes （MWNTs） were wet-milled in the presence of ammonia and cationic surfactant and then used as reinforcements to prepare Ni-P-MWNTs composite coatings by electroless plating. The tribological performances of the composite coatings under dry condition were investigated in comparison with 45 steel and conventional Ni-P coating, Micrographs show that short MWNTs with uniform length and open tips were obtained through the wet-milling process. The results of wear test reveal that the Ni-P-MWNTs composite coatings posses much better friction reduction and anti-wear performances when compared with 45 steel and Ni-P coating. Within the MWNTs content range of 0.74%-1.97%, the friction coefficient and the volume wear rate of the composite coatings decrease gradually and reach the minimum values of 0.08 and 6.22x10-15 m3/（N.m）, respectively. The excellent tribological performances of the composite coatings can be attributed to the introduction of MWNTs, which play both roles of reinforcements and solid lubricant during the wear process.

Effect of wear conditions on tribological properties of electrolessly-deposited Ni-P-Gr-SiC hybrid composite coating

The friction and wear properties of the electrolessly-deposited Ni-P-Gr-SiC composites were investigated. The effects of graphite content, load and rotation speed on the friction coefficient and wear resistance of the composite coatings were mainly investigated. The worn surface and cross section of the coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. The results show that the composite coatings reveal good antifriction and wear resistance due to the synergic effect of graphite and SiC particles. The formation of graphite-rich mechanically mixed layer （GRMML） on the surface of Ni-P-Gr-SiC coating contributes to the good tribological behavior of the wear counterparts and SiC particles play a load bearing role in protecting GRMML from shearing easily.

Wear behavior of SiC/PyC composite materials prepared by electromagnetic-field-assisted CVI

Silicon carbide/pyrolytic carbon (SiC/PyC) composite materials with excellent performance of self-lubrication and wear resistance were prepared on SiC substrates by electromagnetic-field-assisted chemical vapor infiltration (CVI). The composition and microstructure of the SiC/PyC materials were investigated in detail by XRD, SEM and EDS, etc. The effects of the deposition temperature on the section features and wear resistance of the SiC/PyC were studied. The results show that the PyC layers were deposited onto SiC substrates spontaneously at a lower deposition temperature. The SiC substrates deposited with PyC can significantly reduce the wear rate of the self-dual composite materials under dry sliding condition. The wear tests suggest that the SiC/PyC composite materials own a better wear resistance property when the deposition temperature is 800 °C, and the wear rate is about 64.6% of that without the deposition of PyC.

Effects of environment on dry sliding wear behavior of silver-copper based composites containing tungsten disulfide

Silver based composites containing different amounts of WS2were prepared by hot-pressing method and their tribologicalbehaviors were investigated against coin silver under humid air,dry nitrogen and vacuum on a ball-on-disk tester with normal load of5N.The components of composites,microstructure of debris and worn surface were characterized using XRD SEM,EDS and XPS.It is demonstrated that environmental conditions significantly affect the tribological behavior of silver based composites.The frictioncoefficient is the highest in humid air,and the lowest in dry nitrogen.It is found that the friction and wear behavior of the compositesare strongly depended on the characteristics of the lubrication film forming in different operating environments,such as thicknessand composition.In addition,it is indicated that the dominant wear mechanisms of silver based composites are abrasive wear anddelamination under different conditions.