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Applied Sciences
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Research on Friction and Lubrication: Surfaces, Bearings and Gears
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Research on Friction and Lubrication: Surfaces, Bearings and Gears

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Mechanical Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 April 2025) | Viewed by 5753

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Zhiyong Wei

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mechanical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
Interests: friction mechanism and modulation; thermal management; friction-induced vibration and noise
Prof. Dr. Zhongliang Xie

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mechanics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China
Interests: bearing lubrication; friction dynamics; rotor dynamics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Wenjun Gao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Power and Energy, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China
Interests: fluid behavior and heat transfer of roller bearings in high-speed rotating power machinery

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Friction is a vital factor that must be considered when designing complex mechanical systems and advanced mechanical parts because friction can heat the mechanical system, wear out the structure surface, and produce vibration and noise. Many significant achievements in the tribological design of mechanical systems have been made in the past few years, and many innovative and low-cost lubrication technologies have been in recent development. We launched this Special Issue to provide a learning and networking platform for our peers in academia and industry. Therefore, we are interested in articles that study the friction control mechanism of mechanical systems (including moving surfaces, bearings, gears, etc.), advanced lubrication technologies, friction noise suppression, and applications. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Friction mechanism and modulation of mechanical systems;
  • Advanced fluid lubrication systems for mechanical equipment;
  • Frictional performance of mechanical parts with texture surface or coating;
  • Lubrication technology of mechanical systems in extreme conditions;
  • Modulation of friction-induced vibration and noise in mechanical systems;
  • Lubrication mechanism of bearings;
  • Friction and wear behaviors of bearings.

Original work that highlights the latest research and technical development is encouraged, but review papers and comparative studies are also welcome.

Dr. Zhiyong Wei
Prof. Dr. Zhongliang Xie
Dr. Wenjun Gao
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • friction
  • lubrication
  • friction-induced noise
  • surface texture
  • coating
  • tribological behaviors
  • wear

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 3098 KiB  
Article
Novel Numerical Analysis of a Self-Circulating Bearing
by Elizabeth J. Clifford and Christopher C. Daniels
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(10), 5337; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15105337 - 10 May 2025
Viewed by 151
Abstract
A novel closed-form solution representing the fluid motion within a porous bushing was created to develop a recently patented bearing configuration with a self-contained lubrication system. The configuration has a lubricant reservoir surrounding the porous bushing that continuously supplies lubricant without an external [...] Read more.
A novel closed-form solution representing the fluid motion within a porous bushing was created to develop a recently patented bearing configuration with a self-contained lubrication system. The configuration has a lubricant reservoir surrounding the porous bushing that continuously supplies lubricant without an external pump. In regions of low pressure, the lubricant moves into the bearing clearance; where clearance pressure is high, the lubricant is transferred to the porous bushing and refills the supply reservoir. The porous bushing’s pressure distribution was used within Darcy’s law to determine the injection velocity into the bearing clearance. Selected cases were compared with previously published work for approach validation. The validity of assuming a linear distribution within the porous media was investigated, as was the variance of the attitude angle for eccentricity and the effects of porous medium thickness and bearing parameter on bearing load capacity. It was concluded that increasing the feeding parameter increased the bearing load capacity. The porous bearing’s pressure distribution, commonly assumed to be linear, was discovered to be increasingly nonlinear near the bearing’s axial ends. The effect of nonlinearity on the bearing load capacity depended on the thickness of the porous bushing and the eccentricity of the bearing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Friction and Lubrication: Surfaces, Bearings and Gears)
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24 pages, 7061 KiB  
Article
Effect of Surface Texture Depth with Various Geometric Shapes on the Steady-State Performance and Dynamic Stability of Noncircular Lobed Journal Bearings
by Mahdi Zare Mehrjardi, Abolfazl Rasoolizadeh Shooroki, Mehran Rabani and Mehrdad Rabani
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(8), 4412; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15084412 - 16 Apr 2025
Viewed by 282
Abstract
The widespread use of journal bearings in rotating machinery has intensified the need to optimize their operational performance. A key determinant of bearing efficiency lies in the lubricant film thickness between the rotor and bearing surface. Recent studies demonstrate that strategically engineered surface [...] Read more.
The widespread use of journal bearings in rotating machinery has intensified the need to optimize their operational performance. A key determinant of bearing efficiency lies in the lubricant film thickness between the rotor and bearing surface. Recent studies demonstrate that strategically engineered surface textures can effectively modulate film thickness and enhance both static and dynamic characteristics of bearing. This investigation specifically examines how cubic, cylindrical, and semi-ellipsoidal texture geometries at varying depths influence the performance of noncircular two-lobe bearings. Through finite element analysis, the study evaluates critical performance parameters including load capacity, rotor attitude angle, critical mass threshold, and whirl frequency ratio to establish texture–depth relationships with system stability and operational efficiency. The analysis reveals that texturing the maximum pressure zone in lobe 2 significantly enhances bearing performance, with semi-ellipsoidal, cylindrical and cubic geometries, respectively. Also, the results demonstrate that texture geometry and depth significantly influence two-lobe bearing performance. Optimal enhancements in load capacity, whirl frequency reduction, and critical rotor mass occur at texture depths below the bearings clearance space width, with performance peaking before gradually declining as depth increases further. Notably, texture application in low-pressure or cavitation regions generally yields diminished or even counterproductive effects. The findings demonstrate that cubic textures provide optimal bearing performance across all depth ranges, with cylindrical and semi-ellipsoidal geometries ranking second and third, respectively, in comparative analysis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Friction and Lubrication: Surfaces, Bearings and Gears)
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30 pages, 11075 KiB  
Article
The Elasto-Plastic Contact Models of Cylinder-Based and Sphere-Based Fractal Rough Surfaces
by Xiaohui Yang, Bo Bai and Shimin Mao
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(4), 1994; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15041994 - 14 Feb 2025
Viewed by 525
Abstract
The elasto-plastic contact models of cylinder-based and sphere-based fractal rough surfaces are developed. In the two models, the critical contact areas of a single asperity are scale-dependent. With an increase in the contact load and contact area, a transition from elastic, elasto-plastic to [...] Read more.
The elasto-plastic contact models of cylinder-based and sphere-based fractal rough surfaces are developed. In the two models, the critical contact areas of a single asperity are scale-dependent. With an increase in the contact load and contact area, a transition from elastic, elasto-plastic to full plastic deformation takes place in this order. The truncated asperity size distribution functions of different frequency indexes in different contact zones are deduced. The relations between the total real contact area and total contact load for cylinder-based and sphere-based fractal rough surfaces are obtained. The pressure distributions in the contact zone are obtained. The results of elasto-plastic contact models show that the mechanical property of cylinder-based and sphere-based fractal rough surfaces depends on the range of the frequency index of asperities. When the first six frequency indexes are smaller than the elastic critical frequency index, the cylinder-based and sphere-based fractal rough surfaces approximately appear to have an elastic property in the complete contact process. When the minimum frequency index is greater than the elastic critical frequency index, elastic deformation first takes place in the rough surfaces. Then, elasto-plastic deformation takes place with an increase in the total contact load. In elastic deformation, the ratios of the peak pressures of present fractal models to those of Hertzian models are constant for a given range of frequency indexes. In inelastic deformation, the ratios of the peak pressures are inversely proportional to the total contact load. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Friction and Lubrication: Surfaces, Bearings and Gears)
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15 pages, 7851 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of the Variability of Vibration Measurement Results in Rolling Bearing Quality Control
by Paweł Zmarzły, Mateusz Wrzochal and Stanisław Adamczak
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(2), 904; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15020904 - 17 Jan 2025
Viewed by 771
Abstract
The final result of rolling bearing quality control is influenced by many factors that are not always taken into account. If non-conforming products leave the factory, then the reliability of equipment containing rolling bearings is significantly weakened. The paper presents an analysis of [...] Read more.
The final result of rolling bearing quality control is influenced by many factors that are not always taken into account. If non-conforming products leave the factory, then the reliability of equipment containing rolling bearings is significantly weakened. The paper presents an analysis of the reasons for the variability of vibration measurement results in rolling bearing quality control. The paper describes the organisation of rolling bearing acceptance inspection on the production line and its place in the rolling bearing production process. The study evaluates the influence of the measuring device and the location of the sensor on the result of the rolling bearing vibration monitoring process. The problem of repeatability and reproducibility of rolling bearing vibration measurement was also investigated. On the basis of the obtained results, conclusions were drawn regarding the improvement of the quality control process of rolling bearings in production plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Friction and Lubrication: Surfaces, Bearings and Gears)
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21 pages, 13119 KiB  
Article
Effect of Geometric Parameters of High-Speed Helical Gears on Friction Flash Temperature and Scuffing Load Capacity in Electric Vehicles
by Bo Bai, Xianping Li, Wenchao Guo and Shimin Mao
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(22), 10326; https://doi.org/10.3390/app142210326 - 10 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1271
Abstract
High-speed reducers in electric vehicles, characterized by high rotation speeds, heavy loads, large helix angles, and high contact ratios, are prone to tooth surface scuffing due to high sliding speeds. This scuffing is caused by adhesion wear from excessive instantaneous friction flash temperatures. [...] Read more.
High-speed reducers in electric vehicles, characterized by high rotation speeds, heavy loads, large helix angles, and high contact ratios, are prone to tooth surface scuffing due to high sliding speeds. This scuffing is caused by adhesion wear from excessive instantaneous friction flash temperatures. The prevailing approach to gear scuffing analysis relies on the standard formula method, which is a relatively rudimentary technique. This method lacks the precision required to accurately assess the intricate distribution of tooth surface flash temperature (TSFT), limiting its efficacy in targeted tooth optimization. This study introduces an enhanced semi-analytical method to calculate TSFT and analyzes its variation under different conditions: increased tooth number and reduced module, altered pressure angle, and varied helix angle. The aim is to understand how these geometric parameters affect TSFT and the scuffing load capacity of high-speed reducer gears. This study calculates load distribution and TSFT under peak operating conditions and shows that increasing the tooth number, pressure angle, and helix angle can reduce maximum TSFT by more than 30%, improving scuffing safety and load capacity. However, these improvements must consider the gear’s allowable bending safety factor and bearing service life. The research concludes that optimizing these geometric parameters can significantly enhance the scuffing load capacity of gearsets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Friction and Lubrication: Surfaces, Bearings and Gears)
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17 pages, 9897 KiB  
Article
Oil-Air Distribution Prediction Inside Ball Bearing with Under-Race Lubrication Based on Numerical Simulation
by Yaguo Lyu, Yuanhao Li, Can Li, Le Jiang and Zhenxia Liu
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(9), 3770; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14093770 - 28 Apr 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1922
Abstract
Oil/air two-phase flow distribution in the bearings is the basis for bearing lubrication status identification and precise thermal analysis of the bearing. In order to understand the fluid behavior inside the under-race lubrication ball bearing and obtain an accurate oil volume fraction prediction [...] Read more.
Oil/air two-phase flow distribution in the bearings is the basis for bearing lubrication status identification and precise thermal analysis of the bearing. In order to understand the fluid behavior inside the under-race lubrication ball bearing and obtain an accurate oil volume fraction prediction model. A numerical study of ball bearing with under-race lubrication is carried out to study oil-gas two-phase distribution inside the bearing, and the influence of several parameters is quantified, like bearing rotating speed, oil flow rate, oil viscosity, and oil density. The results indicate that the oil fraction in the bearing cavity between the inner and outer ring shows a periodic distribution along the circumference direction, and the period is the same as the number of under-race oil supply holes. Oil distribution alone radial direction is affected by the outer-ring-guiding cage and centrifugal force, leading to oil accumulation near the outer ring. Different bearing running conditions and oil characteristics do not change the oil distribution trend alone in circumference and radial direction, but the difference ratio. Finally, based on the numerical simulation results, a formula for the average oil volume fraction prediction in the bearing ring cavity is constructed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Friction and Lubrication: Surfaces, Bearings and Gears)
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