Search Results (28)

Many physical and chemical properties of solids, such as strength, plasticity, dispersibility, solubility and dissolution are determined by defects in the crystal structure. The aim of this work is to study in situ dynamic, dispersion, chemical, biological and surface properties of lacosamide powder after a complete cycle of mechanical loading by laser scattering, electron microscopy, FR-IR and biopharmaceutical approaches. The SLS method demonstrated the spontaneous tendency toward surface-energy reduction due to aggregation during micronisation. DLS analysis showed conformational changes of colloidal particles as supramolecular complexes depending on the loading time on the solid. SEM analysis demonstrated the conglomeration of needle-like lacosamide particles after 60 min of milling time and the transition to a glassy state with isotropy of properties by the end of the tribochemistry cycle. The following dynamic properties of lacosamide were established: elastic and plastic deformation boundaries, region of inhomogeneous deformation and fracture point. The ratio of dissolution-rate constants in water of samples before and after a full cycle of loading was 2.4. The lacosamide sample, which underwent a full cycle of mechanical loading, showed improved kinetics of API release via analysis of dissolution profiles in 0.1 M HCl medium. The observed activation-energy values of the cell-death biosensor process in aqueous solutions of the lacosamide samples before and after the complete tribochemical cycle were 207 kJmol⁻¹ and 145 kJmol⁻¹, respectively. The equilibrium time of dissolution and activation of cell-biosensor death corresponding to 20 min of mechanical loading on a solid was determined. The current study may have important practical significance for the transformation and management of the properties of drug substances in solid form and in solutions and for increasing the strength of drug matrices by pre-strain hardening via structural rearrangements during mechanical loading. Full article

For the tribological properties of nanoparticle-modified PTFE, a more comprehensive study has been conducted, but there is still some room for research on tribology behavior, tribofilm formation and structure evolution of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) filled with α-Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ nanoparticles during sliding against steel counterparts under different loads. At the same time, it establishes the linkage and mechanism between the maintenance of mechanical strength and the tribological application of polymers in service and provides corresponding scientific data and theoretical guidance for the long-lasting application of polymer lubrication materials. It is found that both composites exhibit good wear resistance across the pressure of 1 MPa to 10 MPa, with the α-Al₂O₃/PTFE composite demonstrating better performance stability compared to the SiO₂/PTFE composite. The high wear resistance is attributed to the formation of tribofilms at the friction interface. For the α-Al₂O₃/PTFE, an island-like tribofilm is formed with a thickness ranging from 100 to 200 nm, while the tribofilm of the SiO₂/PTFE composite is thinner, measuring approximately 50 to 100 nm, and manifests a striped pattern. The chemical composition, both at the surface and subsurface levels, as well as the morphology of the tribofilms, were studied using FTIR spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and FIB-TEM. It is found that the difference in thickness and microstructure of the tribofilms for the two composites is mainly due to the tribochemistry of the nanoparticles. The α-Al₂O₃ nanoparticle plays a “cohesion” role during the formation of the tribofilm, which facilitates the formation of a thicker, more uniform, and stronger adhered tribofilm on the metallic counterpart, making it more robust against higher shear stress. Full article

The performance and durability of high-pressure fuel systems in combustion engines are critical for consistent operation under extreme conditions. High-pressure fuel systems are traditionally lubricated with fuel that is compressed and delivered to the combustion chamber. However, lubrication with fuel presents significant challenges in these systems when used with low-viscosity fuels, leading to increased wear rates, especially in reciprocating contacts. This study delved into the tribological performance of steels of varying alloy content (annealed and hardened variants of AISI-52100, CF2, and D2) against alumina and hard 52100 counterbody materials in ethanol and decane environments. Friction and wear behaviors were evaluated, highlighting the influence of material interactions and environmental factors. Elastohydrodynamic lubrication analysis of the tested systems indicated that ethanol and decane form lubricating films of nanometer-scale thickness, confirming the boundary lubrication regimes of the performed tests. In summary, the tribological behavior trends were similar for alumina and 52100 counterbodies. Even though soft 52100 steel demonstrated low friction, its wear was the largest for both tested environments and counterface materials. Among all the tested materials, hard D2 experienced the lowest wear. 52100 and D2 steels showed opposite friction change behavior when comparing hard and soft samples, with lower friction observed for softer 52100 steel and harder D2 steel. Meanwhile, the wear was lower for harder candidates than for softer ones independent of the environment and counterbody material. Raman spectroscopy analysis of the formed wear tracks indicated the formation of carbon films with larger intensities of characteristic carbon peaks observed for more wear-resistant materials. These results suggest the synergistic effect of hardness and tribochemical activity in reducing the wear of materials. Full article

Protective coatings are important for enhancing tribological behavior, preventing surface degradation, and reducing friction-induced energy losses during the operation of mechanical systems. Recently, tribocatalytically driven formation of protective carbon films at the contact interface has been demonstrated as a viable approach for repairing and extending the lifetime of protective coatings. Here, we study the effect of catalytic metals, specifically their composition and amount, on the tribocatalysis process. To achieve this, we test the tribological performance of electro-deposited amorphous CoNiP and CoCuP coatings in different hydrocarbon-rich environments. Our results indicate that the tribocatalytic repair of wear-induced damage is optimal when Ni and Cu are included in the Co-P matrix at 5 wt% Ni and 7 wt% Cu, respectively. Characterization of the wear tracks suggests that among the considered samples, the tribofilms formed on the surface of Co7CuP have the highest concentration of graphitic carbon, leading to a more significant reduction in the COF and wear rate. The carbon tribofilm formation was more pronounced in decane and synthetic oil than in ethanol, which is attributed to the difference in the length of the hydrocarbon molecules affecting viscosity and the lubricant film thickness during boundary lubrication sliding. Full article

In this study, we synthesized three low-sulfur and low-phosphorus ionic liquids (ILs). These were N₈₈₈₁₆P₈, P₈₈₈₁₆P₈, and P₈₈₈₁₆DOSS. The viscosity and thermal stability of the three ILs were analyzed. The tribological properties and lubrication mechanisms of the three ILs were investigated as lubricants for a carbide ball–Inconel 690 nickel-based alloy friction pair and compared at 50 °C and 150 °C. The wear spots of the carbide ball and nickel-based alloy disc samples were characterized using SEM and EDS. The experimental results revealed that P₈₈₈₁₆P₈ had excellent tribological properties. The lubrication mechanism of P₈₈₈₁₆P₈ as a lubricant for the carbide ball–Inconel 690 nickel-based alloy friction pair was investigated using XPS. The excellent friction reduction and anti-wear properties of P₈₈₈₁₆P₈ could be attributed to the tribo-chemistry between P₈₈₈₁₆P₈ and Inconel 690 as well as the formation of a tribo-film on the wear-spot surface. This high-performance IL, suitable for carbide ball–Inconel 690 contact, will be applied to a cutting process of Inconel 690. Full article

The development and production of thin-film coatings having very low friction is an urgent problem of materials science. One of the most promising solutions is the fabrication of special nanocomposites containing transition-metal dichalcogenides and various carbon-based nanophases. This study aims to explore the influence of graphite-like carbon (g-C) and Ni interface layers on the tribological properties of thin WS₂ films. Nanocrystalline WS₂ films were created by reactive pulsed laser deposition (PLD) in H₂S at 500 °C. Between the two WS₂ nanolayers, g-C and Ni nanofilms were fabricated by PLD at 700 and 22 °C, respectively. Tribotesting was carried out in a nitrogen-enriched atmosphere by the reciprocal sliding of a steel counterbody under a relatively low load of 1 N. For single-layer WS₂ films, the friction coefficient was ~0.04. The application of g-C films did not noticeably improve the tribological properties of WS₂-based films. However, the application of thin films of g-C and Ni reduced the friction coefficient to 0.013, thus, approaching superlubricity. The island morphology of the Ni nanofilm ensured WS₂ retention and altered the contact area between the counterbody and the film surface. The catalytic properties of nickel facilitated the introduction of S and H atoms into g-C. The sliding of WS₂ nanoplates against an amorphous g-C(S, H) nanolayer caused a lower coefficient of friction than the relative sliding of WS₂ nanoplates. The detected behavior of the prepared thin films suggests a new strategy of designing antifriction coatings for practical applications and highlights the ample opportunities of laser techniques in the formation of promising thin-film coatings. Full article

The impact of a fatty triamine (Triameen YT) additive was investigated on the friction performance and stability of molybdenum dithiocarbamate (MoDTC) in the formulations containing polyalphaolefin synthetic base oil (PAO) and zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP). Triamine has no significant effect when mixed with MoDTC and ZDDP, but it improves the performance of MoDTC alone. However, in the MoDTC—Triamine—PAO solutions, a chemical reaction easily occurred and a reddish precipitate was formed upon storage. According to IR, XPS, TEM, and XAS characterizations, this precipitate is poorly crystalline layered alkylammonium oxothiomolybdate. Formation of the precipitate impaired the tribological performance by decreasing the number of active species delivered at the sliding contact interface. However, low friction coefficients were recovered by redispersion of the precipitate in PAO. Full article

This paper presents high temperature low friction behaviors of the h-BN coatings, which were deposited on high-speed tool steel by radio frequency magnetron sputtering. A tribometer was used to investigate high temperature tribological properties of h-BN coatings against ZrO₂ from 500 °C to 800 °C. The surface morphology, mechanical properties and chemical states of the worn surface of the friction pair were characterized and investigated systemically. The experimental results show that h-BN coatings are of significant importance to improve high temperature tribological properties of steel. Moreover, it is found that high temperature super low friction of the friction pairs is successfully achieved due to tribochemistry, which plays a key role in forming the in-situ generated Fe₂O₃/h-BN composites on the worn surface of h-BN coatings. CoFs of the friction pair are as super low as about 0.02 at 800 °C and around 0.03 at 600 °C at the stable stage. The high temperature super low friction mechanism of the friction pair is discussed in detail. The present study opens a new strategy to achieve high temperature super low friction of the friction system during sliding. Full article

The formation of boundary layers on bearing surfaces due to the operational conditions has a significant influence on bearing lifetimes and frictional properties. Zinc dialkyldithiophosphate is an anti-wear additive widely used in oil and grease formulations that forms beneficial surface boundary layers. Under certain circumstances, this additive can cause early bearing failure due to white etching cracks (WEC) formation. By influencing chemical reactions and diffusion processes, the boundary films are suspected to be a reason for the emergence of WECs. The properties of these layers under WEC critical and uncritical conditions are of interest. To gain knowledge of these layers, nano- and micro-tribological tests were performed. One possibility is to measure the hardness by nanoindentation and scratching on and into the layers by nano scratch tests. Another way is to perform local resolved micro-pin-on-disk tests. Additionally, ToF-SIMS (Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry) was performed on the bearing surfaces to conclude the chemical compositions of the boundary layers. In the focus was, if the measured properties of the layers can be correlated to the bearing’s early failures due to WEC, frictional properties of the whole system, and the wear on the surfaces. Full article

The experimental and theoretical investigations of transfer layers in the dry sliding contacts between steel ball and HiPIMS W-C and W-C:H coatings were performed in humid air, dry nitrogen, hydrogen and vacuum on a series of coatings with different contents of carbon and hydrogen in the matrix. Transfer layers formed on the ball in all friction tests, but their composition varied depending on the environment. In humid air, the mechano(tribo)chemical reactions necessary for the obtained phases involved oxidation of WC and Fe, water vapor decomposition and hydrogenation of carbon. Modeling indicated that humidity enhanced oxidation and carbon hydrogenation. In nitrogen, WC decomposition generating carbon was dominant, whereas, in hydrogen, it was carbon hydrogenation. In vacuum, WC decomposition producing W was found to be responsible for high coefficients of friction (COFs). COFs approaching superlubricity were obtained in the H₂ atmosphere in the coatings with sufficiently high matrix C:H content. COFs seem to be controlled by the ratio of hydrogenated carbon and oxide phases in transfer layer, which depends on the reactions possible in the surrounding atmosphere. Full article

Ti₃SiC₂-PbO-Ag composites (TSC-PA) were successfully prepared using the spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique. The ingredient and morphology of the as-synthesized composites were elaborately investigated. The tribological properties of the TSC-PA pin sliding against Inconel 718 alloys disk at room temperature (RT) to 800 °C were examined in air. The wear mechanisms were argued elaborately. The results showed that the TSC-PA was mainly composed of Ti₃SiC₂, Pb, and Ag. The average friction coefficient of TSC-PA gradually decreased from 0.72 (RT) to 0.3 (800 °C), with the temperature increasing from RT to 800 °C. The wear rate of TSC-PA showed a decreasing trend, with the temperature rising from RT to 800 °C. The wear rate of Inconel 718 exhibited positive wear at RT and negative wear at elevated temperatures. The tribological property of TSC-PA was related to the tribo-chemistry, and the abrasive and adhesive wear. Full article

The homemade soot capture device was used to burn Fischer-Tropsch synthetic diesel (F-T diesel) in order to simulate the combustion of F-T diesel in the engine and collect its soot (F-T DS, FS). The zinc-iron hydrotalcite (ZnFe-LDH) and the composite materials of FS and ZnFe-LDH (F-T DS/ZnFe-LDH, FS/ZnFe-LDH) were prepared by hydrothermal synthesis, and the similarities and differences in tribological characteristics of the above three lubricating materials such as 10^# white oil (10^# WO) lubricant additives were investigated. FS is an aggregation composed of amorphous carbon and graphite microcrystals. ZnFe-LDH is mainly composed of nanosheets, Zn, and Fe hydroxide particles, with a high degree of crystallization, while FS/ZnFe-LDH is a “sandwich layer” composed of nanosheets and soot particles. Because of the addition of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and the grafting of a long carbon chain lipophilic group in the preparation process, FS/ZnFe-LDH has better anti-wear properties than the FS and ZnFe-LDH Effect. When FS/ZnFe-LDH is added at 0.2 wt.%, the average friction coefficient (AFC) and average wears scar diameter (AWSD) are at their lowest. Compared with pure 10^# WO, the minimum values of AFC and AWSD have dropped by 36.84% and 22.58%, respectively. XPS analysis of the wear scar surface shows that when ZnFe-LDH and FS/ZnFe-LDH are used as lubricating additives of 10^# WO, together with the organic matter in the white oil and the iron element in the friction pair, tribochemistry occurs under the combined action of the adsorption force and the tribochemical reaction, a friction protection film containing four elements of C, O, Fe, and Zn is formed on the surface of the wear scar, which effectively reduces the wear and reduces the friction coefficient. Full article

To understand the possible lubricant mechanism in ceramic-on-ceramic hip joint prostheses, biochemical reactions of the synovial fluid and the corresponding frictional coefficients were studied. The experiments were performed in a hip joint simulator using the ball-on-cup configuration with balls and cups made from two types of ceramics, BIOLOX^®forte and BIOLOX^®delta. Different lubricants, namely albumin, γ-globulin, hyaluronic acid and three model synovial fluids, were studied in the experiments and Raman spectroscopy was used to analyze the biochemical responses of these lubricants at the interface. BIOLOX^®delta surface was found less reactive to proteins and model fluid lubricants. In contrast, BIOLOX^®forte ball surface has shown chemisorption with both proteins, hyaluronic acid and model fluids imitating total joint replacement and osteoarthritic joint. There was no direct correlation between the measured frictional coefficient and the observed chemical reactions. In summary, the study reveals chemistry of lubricant film formation on ceramic hip implant surfaces with various model synovial fluids and their components. Full article

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings have proven to be an excellent thin film solution for reducing friction of tribological systems as well as providing resistance to wear. These characteristics yield greater efficiency and longer lifetimes of tribological contacts with respect to surface solutions targeting for example automotive applications. However, the route from discovery to deployment of DLC films has taken its time and still the design of these solutions is largely done on a trial-and-error basis. This results in challenges both in designing and optimizing DLC films for specific applications and limits the understanding, and subsequently exploitation, of many of the underlying physical mechanisms responsible for its favorable frictional response and high resistance to various types of wear. In current work multiscale modeling is utilized to study the friction and wear response of DLC thin films in dry and lubricated contacts. Atomic scale mechanisms responsible for friction due to interactions between the sliding surfaces and shearing of the amorphous carbon surface are utilized to establish frictional response for microstructure scale modeling of DLC to DLC surface contacts under dry and graphene lubricated conditions. Then at the coarser microstructural scale both structure of the multilayer, substrate and surface topography of the DLC coating are incorporated in studying of the behavior of the tribosystem. A fracture model is included to evaluate the nucleation and growth of wear damage leading either to loss of adhesion or failure of one of the film constituents. The results demonstrate the dependency of atomistic scale friction on film characteristics, particularly hybridization of bonding and tribochemistry. The microstructure scale modeling signifies the behavior of the film as a tribosystem, the various material properties and the surface topography interact to produce the explicitly modeled failure response. Ultimately, the work contributes towards establishing multiscale modeling capabilities to better understand and design novel DLC material solutions for various tribological applications. Full article

This study assesses the correlations between the intensity of stress undergone by crystals and the morphological characteristics of particles and fracturing products. The effects of the fractures on the microstructure of quartz are also studied. Alpha quartz, subjected to shear stress, is quickly crushed according to a fracturing sequence, with a total fracture length that is correlated to the stress rate. The shear stress generates a sequence of macro and microstructural events, in particular localized melting phenomena, never highlighted before on quartz and the formation of different polymorphs, such as cristobalite and tridymite together with amorphous silica. Full article