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Abstract:The relationship between the film generation and the coefficient of friction in grease lubricated contacts was investigated. Ball-on-disc tests were performed under different operating conditions: entrainment speed, lubricant temperature and surface roughness. The tests were performed with fully formulated greases and their base oils. The greases were formulated with different thickener types and also different base oils natures and viscosities. Film thickness measurements were performed in ball-on-glass disc tests, and Stribeck curves were measured in ball-on-steel disc tests with discs of different roughness. The role of the thickener and the base oil nature/viscosity on the film thickness and coefficient of friction was addressed and the greases' performance was compared based on their formulation.

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The film thickness of a ball-on-disc contact lubricated with four greases of different formulations was measured under different operating conditions until starvation. Two polymer-thickened greases and two lithium-thickened greases, formulated with base oils of different nature and/or viscosity, were tested. The central film thickness was measured under constant operating conditions (load, temperature, slide-to-roll ratio) varying only the entrainment speed. In a separate test, the film thickness was measured over time with all operating conditions set to constant. Pictures of the film thickness profile across the contact area were also registered. The results were compared with the fully flooded results. The coefficient of friction (COF) was measured in a ball-on-disc contact under equal operating conditions and the results were correlated with the film thickness findings. The different grease formulations and the influence of the operating conditions on the film thickness and COF were discussed. The polymer thickened the greases, promoting lower COF and higher film thickness, especially when there is thickener material crossing the contact which happens quite often for these greases.

The main task of this work is to study the tribological performance of nanolubricants formed by trimethylolpropane trioleate (TMPTO) base oil with magnetic nanoparticles coated with oleic acid: Fe3O4 of two sizes 6.3 nm and 10 nm, and Nd alloy compound of 19 nm. Coated nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized via chemical co-precipitation or thermal decomposition by adsorption with oleic acid in the same step. Three nanodispersions of TMPTO of 0.015 wt% of each NP were prepared, which were stable for at least 11 months. Two different types of tribological tests were carried out: pure sliding conditions and rolling conditions (5% slide to roll ratio). With the aim of analyzing the wear by means of the wear scar diameter (WSD), the wear track depth and the volume of the wear track produced after the first type of the tribological tests, a 3D optical profiler was used. The best tribological performance was found for the Nd alloy compound nanodispersion, with reductions of 29% and 67% in friction and WSD, respectively, in comparison with TMPTO. On the other hand, rolling conditions tests were utilized to study friction and film thickness of nanolubricants, determining that Fe3O4 (6.3 nm) nanolubricant reduces friction in comparison to TMPTO.

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