A study on the tribological characteristics of graphite nano lubricants

Many researchers have tried to improve the tribological characteristics of lubricants to decrease friction coefficients and wear rates. One approach is simply the use of additives in the base lubricant to change its properties. Recently, nanoparticles have emerged as a new kind of additive because of their size, shape and other properties. A nano lubricant is a new kind of engineering lubricant made of nanoparticles, dispersant, and base lubricant. In this study, graphite nanoparticles were used to fabricate nano lubricants with enhanced tribological properties and lubrication characteristics. The base lubricant used was industrial gear oil, which has a kinematic viscosity of 220 cSt at 40°C. To investigate the physical and tribological properties of nano lubricants, friction coefficients and temperatures were measured by a disk-on-disk tribotester. The surfaces of the fixed plates were observed by a scanning electron microscope and an atomic force microscope to analyze the characteristics of the friction surfaces. The results show that when comparing fixed plates coated with raw and nano lubricants, the plate coated with a nano lubricant containing graphite nanoparticles had a lower friction coefficient and less wear. These results indicate that graphite nanoparticle additives improve the lubrication properties of regular lubricants.     

Influence of gelatin and bovine serum lubricants on ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene wear debris generated in in vitro simulations

Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) wear debris induced osteolysis has a major role in the late aseptic loosening and ultimate failure of total hip replacements (THR). Clinically relevant in vitro simulations of wear are essential to predict the osteolytic potential of bearing surfaces in artificial hip joints. Newborn calf or bovine serum has been accepted as a boundary lubricant for such in vitro tests, but its biological stability has been questioned. This study compared the wear factors, number of wear particles and levels of microbial contamination produced in bovine serum and a gelatin-based lubricant. The wear factors produced by the two lubricants were not significantly different, however the wear debris morphology produced was substantially different. The bovine serum became contaminated with micro-organisms within 28 h, whereas the protein-based lubricant remained uncontaminated. The results showed that bovine serum was not a stable boundary lubricant. They also showed that although the wear factors for the two solutions were not significantly different, the protein-based lubricant was not a suitable alternative to bovine serum because the wear debris produced was not clinically relevant.     

The influence of lubricant on the morphology of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene wear debris generated in laboratory tests.

Since the implication of polyethylene wear debris as a major cause of osteolysis in total joint replacements, there has been much interest in polyethylene wear studies and in cell culture studies using ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) wear debris. Studies have shown that particles in the 0.1-10 microns size range are particularly important in causing adverse cellular reactions resulting in osteolysis. The morphology, the mass and size distributions, and the number of wear particles produced at the joint surfaces are influenced by the tribological conditions at the joint. Laboratory wear tests are used to investigate the wear properties of prosthetic joint materials and different research groups have used different lubricants in these tests. This paper shows that the volumetric wear and morphology of UHMWPE particles generated in vitro are influenced by the type of lubricant used. This study compared, quantitatively, UHMWPE wear debris generated in deionized water to debris that was generated in a system lubricated by bovine serum which was diluted to 25 per cent. The wear factors of UHMWPE in water and serum lubricants were significantly different (p < 0.05). UHMWPE wore 14 times more in water than in serum. Quantitative analysis of the wear particles showed that the debris that was generated in serum was morphologically different from debris that was produced in a water-lubricated system. Furthermore, the particles produced in serum showed a closer similarity to those found in retrieved acetabular tissues.     

The performance and antiwear mechanism of S-containing organic borate as an oil additive

A sulphur-containing organic borate (BS-2) was prepared. Its friction and wear properties when added to n-tetradecane, and the effect on wear of addition of dodecyl amine to the synthesised S-containing borate oil, were measured using a Timken test machine. The results were compared with those of tridodecyl borate, and a combination of tridodecyl borate and sulphurised cotton seed oil. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) was used to examine the rubbed surfaces of the test blocks, while Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersion Analysis of X-ray (EDAX) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) were used to study the wear debris. It is found that S-containing organic borate exhibits a poorer antiwear property than tridodecyl borate but, with the addition of dodecyl amine to the S-containing borate, its antiwear property can be improved. XPS analyses indicate that sulphur on the rubbed surfaces exists in the forms of organic sulphide and FeSO₄, and the addition of amine reduces the adsorption and reaction of sulphur to the rubbing surfaces. SEM analyses revealed that the wear debris was in powder form, and the EDAX and XRD analyses indicated that iron sulphide, iron oxide and elemental iron were contained in the wear debris. A corrosive wear mechanism of steel test blocks lubricated by S-containing organic borate is proposed.     

Friction,Wear, and Scuffing Characteristics of Marine Engine Lubricants with Nanodiamond Particles

Many kinds of additives are generally added to engine lubricants to improve performance. These chemical additives are harmful to both humans and the environment. For this reason, the research trend in the lubricant industry is to reduce the use of chemical additives in engine oils. Carbon materials like nanodiamonds are candidates among many physical additives. Nanodiamond particles are round, very hard, chemically stable, and highly heat conductible. In this research, nanodiamond particles were uniformly dispersed in marine engine lubricants. A matrix synthesis method was used for dispersion with various concentrations. Friction and wear tests were performed to measure the friction and wear amounts, and scuffing tests were performed. The friction coefficients were decreased with the addition of nanodiamond particles. Due to their octagonal and almost spherical shape, the particles could act as rolling contact elements between two lubricated sliding surfaces. In addition, it was found that there was a proper concentration of nanodiamond to minimize the wear amounts, which was 0.3 wt%. From the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis many agglomerated particles were found on the sliding surfaces with a high concentration of particles over 0.3%. The excessive amount of nanodiamonds acted as abrasive debris and ploughed the contact surfaces. Finally, as the concentration of nanodiamonds increased, the scuffing life increased due to a reduction in friction, and the rate of temperature increase was reduced due to the high heat conductivity of nanodiamonds.     

Comparison of friction and lubrication of different hip prostheses

It is well documented that an important cause of osteolysis and subsequent loosening of replacement hip joints is polyethylene wear debris. To avoid this, interest has been renewed in metal-on-metal and ceramic-on-ceramic prostheses. Various workers have assessed the lubrication modes of different joints by measuring the friction at the bearing surfaces, using different lubricants. Measurements of friction factors of a series of hip prostheses were undertaken using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) fluids, silicone fluids, synovial fluid and different concentrations of bovine serum as the lubricant. The experimental results were compared with theoretical predictions of film thicknesses and lubrication modes. A strong correlation was observed between experiment and theory when employing CMC fluids or silicone fluids as the lubricant. Mixed lubrication was found to occur in the metal-on-metal (CoCrMo/CoCrMo) joints with all lubricants at a viscosity within the physiological range. This was also the case for the metal-on-plastic (CoCrMo/ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene) joints. The ceramic-on-ceramic (Al2O3/Al2O3) joints, however, exhibited full fluid film lubrication with the synthetic lubricants but mixed lubrication with the biological lubricants. Employing a biological fluid as the lubricant affected the friction to varying degrees when compared with the synthetic lubricants. In the case of the ceramic-on-ceramic joints it acted to increase the friction factor tenfold; however, for the metal-on-metal joints, biological fluids gave slightly lower friction than the synthetic lubricants did. This suggests that, when measuring friction and wear of artificial joints, a standard lubricant should be used.     

A Tribological Study of Multiply-Alkylated Cyclopentanes and Perfluoropolyether Lubricants for Application to Si-MEMS Devices

Lubrication of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) is a major constraint in MEMS applications, restricting the designs and practical usages of such devices. Possible lubricants and methods have been investigated in this paper, comparing perfluoropolyether (PFPE) lubricant with multiply-alkylated cyclopentanes (MACs). The effectiveness of both the lubricants in reducing friction and enhancing the wear life was investigated in a new method of MEMS lubrication known as Localised-Lubrication or “Loc-Lub.” Friction and wear tests were conducted in a flat-on-flat test geometry under a normal load of 50 g and a sliding velocity of 5 mm s^?1 in reciprocation, with Si as the substrate. Further tests were conducted at higher loads, to compare wear durability between lubricants and methods. It was found that MACs have a propensity to remain cohesive during the tests due to higher surface tension and provide better friction and wear properties when tested under reciprocating sliding conditions, as a complete film is present between the two surfaces. The results show that MAC lubricant is more effective in extending the wear life and reducing friction under the tested conditions compared to PFPE.     

Sliding wear response of a cast iron under varying test environments and traversal speed and pressure conditions

This study pertains to the examination of sliding wear behaviour of a gray cast iron over a range of sliding speeds and applied pressures in dry and (oil and oil plus graphite) lubricated conditions. Wear properties characterized were wear rate and frictional heating. The cast iron revealed various forms and sizes of graphite particles in a matrix of pearlite and limited quantity of free ferrite. Different solidification patterns, as controlled by the chemical composition and/or carbon equivalent of the alloy and rate of cooling, were thought to be responsible for the varying morphology of the graphite phase formed in the material matrix. Occasional decohesion of graphite at ferrite/graphite interfacial regions was also observed.The wear rate of the cast iron increased with the speed and pressure of sliding due to increasing severity of wear condition. The specimens tended to lose proper contact with the disc at larger pressures when slid dry. This was attributed to severe cracking tendency of the material. On the contrary, specimen seizure was noticed in the oil and oil plus graphite lubricated conditions; the seizure resistance (pressure) decreased with sliding speed in presence of the lubricants. The wear rate versus pressure plots attained different slopes, i.e. the rate of increase in wear rate with pressure, depending on the test environment. One slope and inappreciable effect of pressure on wear rate were noticed due to substantial cracking tendency of the cast iron when tested in dry condition. In the oil lubricated condition also, virtually one slope was observed but it was higher than that in dry condition indicating greater sensitivity of wear rate towards the applied pressure. Also, the samples attained lower wear rate in oil than in dry condition in view of suppressed cracking tendency causing more stable lubricating film formation in presence of the oil lubricant. Addition of graphite particles to the oil lubricant caused a further reduction in wear rate because of the enhanced possibility of a more stable lubricant film formation due to smearing of the graphite particles. In this case, the slope of the wear rate versus pressure plots was the least in the intermediate range of pressures irrespective of the sliding speed owing to more stable lubricating film formation.A higher rate of temperature increase with test duration (intermediate sliding distance) in the beginning was attributed to the abrasive action of the hard debris generated through the fragmentation of the initially contacting asperities. A subsequently observed lower rate of increase at longer durations could be owing to the occurrence of mild wear condition in view of less stressing of the contacting asperities and increased stability of the lubricant film formed. Increase in the rate of frictional heating at still longer durations resulted from destabilization of the lubricating film.Frictional heating increased with applied pressure and sliding speed in view of increasing severity of wear condition. The rate of increase in frictional heating was low initially up to a specific pressure followed by a higher rate of increase at still larger pressures when the tests were conducted in oil plus graphite at both the sliding speeds and in the oil lubricant at the lower speed. A constant (high) rate of increase in frictional heating with pressure was noticed in the dry condition at both the sliding speeds and in the oil lubricant at the higher speed. Low rate of frictional heating with pressure was attributed to the occurrence of mild wear condition while a higher rate of frictional heating with pressure resulted from the occurrence of severe wear condition. As far as the influence of test environment on frictional heating is concerned, least frictional heat was generated in the oil plus graphite lubricant mixture while the maximum was noticed in dry condition, intermediate response of the samples being observed in oil. Formation of more stable lubricating film was thought to be responsible for lower frictional heating in the lubricated conditions; the presence of graphite in the oil lubricant increased the extent of lubricating film formation and stability of the film so formed.The wear response of the samples has been explained in terms of cracking tendency and lubricating effects of graphite, predominance of the counteracting effects of the two parameters over each other, and lubricating film formation by the external oil (plus graphite) lubricant on the sliding surfaces in specific test conditions. Characterization of wear surfaces, subsurface regions and debris particles of the material enabled to further substantiate the observed wear performance of the samples.     

Large‐scale specimen testing on friction and wear of pure and internally lubricated cast polyamides

Due to the casting process for nylons, their composition can easily be modified to cover a wide range of mechanical properties and applications, especially as large wear surfaces in, for example, crane guidances. Presently, selection tests for working conditions up to 40MPa are presented on pure Na‐catalysed polyamides, oil‐filled polyamides with homogeneous oil dispersions and holes in the surface containing oil lubricant and two types of thermoplastic solid‐lubricated polyamides. Pure polyamides are, however, prone to high and unstable sliding at pressures as low as 10MPa with brittle fracture and lumpy transfer. Oil lubrication is not able to remove the sliding instabilities as oil supply to the sliding interface is controlled by migration effects that are restricted by deformation and thermal softening or melting of the polyamide matrix. Although friction and wear are lower and more stable for samples with oil supplied through lubricating holes, additional running‐in phenomena are attributed to a relatively thick transfer film that is brittle and easily peels off. A continuous thick molten film or island‐like deposition occurs on the polyamide surface. Solid lubricants are able to stabilize friction and lower wear down to the formation of a thin and coherent transfer film. However, increasing the amount of lubricants induces lower mechanical properties and higher deformation of the test samples. The differences in transfer behaviour are discussed with reference to optical microscopy and calculations of bulk and flash temperatures. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of Gear Surface and Lubricant Interaction on Mild Wear

In this study, a twin-disc test machine was used to simulate a rolling/sliding gear contact for three surface finishes, each run with two types of lubricants, thus seeking to develop insight into the tooth flank/lubricant tribological system. The test disc surfaces were case-carburised before the surfaces were produced by: transverse grinding followed by a mechanical abrasive polishing process; transverse grinding only; and transverse grinding followed by preheating as a final finishing step (intended to enhance the build-up of an easily sheared surface boundary layer using a sulphur additive). The twin-disc contact was lubricated with an ester-based environmentally adapted lubricant or a polyalphaolefin-based commercial heavy truck gearbox lubricant. To obtain information about the composition of chemically reacted surface layers, the specimens used were analysed using glow discharge-optical emission spectroscopy. The results indicate that the interactions between different surface finishes and lubricants have different impacts on friction behaviour, wear and the reacted surface boundary layer formed by the lubricant. Running a smooth (polished) surface with the appropriate lubricant drastically reduces the friction. Surface analysis of the ground surfaces gives clear differences in lubricant characteristics. The commercial lubricant does not seem to react chemically with the surface to the same extent as the EAL does. Micropitting was found on all ground discs with both lubricants, though at different rates. The highest amount of wear but less surface damage (i.e. micropits) was found on the preheated surface run with the commercial lubricant.     

Challenges associated with using bovine serum in wear testing orthopaedic biopolymers

For appropriate in vitro wear testing of prostheses and their biomaterials, the choice of lubricant is critical. Bovine serum is the lubricant recommended by several international standards for wear testing artificial joints and their biomaterials because the wear rate and wear mechanisms closely match clinical results of polyethylene bearings. The main problem with the use of bovine serum as a lubricant is protein degradation and precipitation formation, effects that are recognized as having a direct impact on wear processes. Hence, some researchers have questioned the validity of using bovine serum in simulator testing. This paper reviews the various lubricants used in laboratory wear studies and also the properties of the synovial fluid that the lubricant is trying to replicate. It is clear from the literature survey that the composition of bovine-serum-based lubricants does not match that of synovial fluid. In view of this conclusion, it is suggested that there is a need to develop an alternative lubricant that can replace bovine serum.     

Effect of reinforcement volume fraction and size distribution on the tribological behavior of Al-composite/brake pad tribo-couple

Tribological behavior of aluminium matrix composite (AMC)/brake pad tribo-couple under dry sliding conditions was studied using Pin-on-Disc machine. Brake pad material was used as pins while the AMC formed the rotating disc. Series of experiments were performed to characterize the tribological nature of the tribo-couple. Load and sliding speeds were varied over a range to represent actual braking conditions in passenger cars. Effect of volume fraction and size distribution of reinforcement on wear and friction coefficient has been studied. It was observed that a heterogeneous tribo-layer was formed over the worn surfaces during the wear tests. Presence of tribo-layer was believed to cause two effects: acting as a lubricant layer and acting as a source of wear debris. Morphology and topography of worn surfaces and debris were studied using scanning electron microscope (SEM), electron probe micro analyzer (EPMA), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. When the reinforcement in the matrix has wide size distribution, wear rate and friction coefficients are found to be higher compared to composite containing mono-size reinforcement.     

On the friction and wear performance of boric acid lubricant combinations in extended duration operations

Lubrication is critical for minimizing wear in mechanical systems that operate for extended time periods. Developing lubricants that can be used in engineering systems without replenishment – particularly those that are environmentally friendly – is very important for increasing the functional lifetime of mechanical components. In the present investigation, extended duration pin-on-disk experiments were carried out to determine the relative performance of a wide range of lubricant combinations in a commercial brake valve assembly. In the experiments, the lubricants were initially applied to the disk surface but were not replenished over a sliding distance of more than 6000 m. The experimental results revealed that the environmentally friendly lubricant boric acid was highly ineffective for reducing the wear in the surfaces tested. When combined with a commercial transmission fluid, however, the boric acid mixture proved to be highly effective in terms of both friction and wear performance. Based on the success of the combined lubricant experiments, the boric acid was then mixed with canola oil to form a completely natural lubricant combination. Based on further pin-on-disk experiments, this lubricant combination yielded the best wear performance of all the lubricants tested. The importance of these results, as related to the use of the natural lubricant combination in other engineering systems such as sheet metal stamping, was subsequently ascertained and discussed.     

The characterization of wear transitions in sliding wear process contaminated with silica and iron powder

When a machine is in operation, two moving surfaces interact to generate a large amount of wear particles. The wear debris generated inside the machine or contaminants from outside plays important roles in both two-body and three-body wear. For all mining and port machinery, their lubricants are very likely to be polluted by contaminants such as silica and other metallic debris such as iron and nickel. In order to seek a deeper understanding of the effects of different contaminants on wear process, this project investigated sliding wear processes when silica powder and iron powder exist in lubricants.Four sliding wear tests were conducted on a pin-on-disc tester with and without the contaminants. Visual inspection, ferrography analysis, particle quantity analysis using a particle analyzer, and numerical surface analysis using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) were conducted to study the wear particles and wear surfaces. Supported by the data generated from the comprehensive analyses on the wear particles and wear surfaces, the investigation of the effects of the added contaminants to the wear processes and wear mechanisms have been carried out and presented in this paper.     

EP/AW performance evaluation of some zinc alkyl/dialkyl/alkylaryl‐dithiocarbamates in four‐ball tests

Tribochemistry, the chemistry of interacting surfaces under the influence of a lubricant, helps in the appropriate selection of suitable lubricant additives for specific uses. Modern lubricants are usually formulated from a range of petroleum base oils or synthetic fluids incorporating a variety of chemical additives for performance enhancement. Extreme‐pressure (EP) and anti‐wear (AW) additives are used extensively in lubricants for hypoid gears and metal cutting and forming operations to reduce wear, modify friction, and prevent scuffing of moving metallic parts. The present paper includes the synthesis and the evaluation of the tribological properties of 0.5% (w/v) solutions of some zinc bis‐(alkyl/dialkyl/alkylaryldithiocarbamates) in paraffin oil using 12.7 mm diameter steel bearing ball specimens in four‐ball tests. All the synthesised zinc dithiocarbamate additives in general, and zinc bis‐(morpholinodithio‐carbamate) (A₄) in particular, exhibited good AW, EP, and friction‐reducing properties. Additive A₄ especially gave low values of wear‐scar diameter and coefficient of friction at higher loads and higher values of load wear index and flash temperature parameter during EP tests (ASTM D 2783) and afforded lower values of wear‐scar diameter in a one‐hour wear test (ASTM D 2266–67). The surface topography of the wear‐scar matrix of the used ball specimens was investigated by scanning electron microscopy.     

Tribological Effects of Vegetable Oil as Alternative Lubricant: A Pin-on-Disk Tribometer and Wear Study

The investigation of lubricated friction and wear is an extended study. The aim of this study is to investigate the friction and wear characteristics of double fractionated palm oil (DFPO) as a biolubricant using a pin-on-disk tribotester under loads of 50 and 100 N with rotating speeds of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 ms^?1 in a 1-h operation time. In this study, hydraulic oil and engine oil (SAE 40) were used as reference base lubricants. The experiment was conducted using aluminum pins and an SKD 11(alloy tool steel) disc lubricated with test lubricants. To investigate the wear and friction behavior, images of the worn surface were taken by optical microscopy. From the experimental results, the coefficient of friction (COF) rose when the sliding speed and load were high. In addition, the wear rate for a load of 100 N for all lubricants was almost always higher compared to lubricant with a load of 50 N. The results of this experiment reveal that the palm oil lubricant can be used as a lubricating oil, which would help to reduce the global demand for petroleum-based lubricants substantially.     

Investigation into sliding wear performance of zinc-based alloy reinforced with SiC particles in dry and lubricated conditions

The objective of the present investigation was to assess the influence of SiC particle dispersion in the alloy matrix, applied load, and the presence of oil and oil plus graphite lubricants on the wear behaviour of a zinc-based alloy. Sliding wear performance of the zinc-based alloy and its composite containing SiC particles has been investigated in dry and lubricated conditions. Base oil or mixtures of the base oil with different percentages of graphite were used for creating the lubricated conditions. Results show a large improvement in wear resistance of the zinc-based alloy after reinforcement with SiC particles. The lubrication improved the wear resistance and friction behaviour of both the reinforced and base alloys. It was also observed that there exists an optimum concentration of graphite particles in the lubricant mixture that leads to the best wear performance. The composite experienced higher frictional heating and friction coefficient than the matrix alloy in all the cases except oil lubricated conditions; a mixed trend was noticed in the latter case. The wear rate and frictional heating increased with load while friction coefficient was affected in an opposite manner. Test duration influenced the frictional heating and friction coefficient of the samples in a mixed manner.Examination of worn surfaces revealed a change of predominating wear mechanisms from severe ploughing and/or abrasive wear for base alloy to delamination wear for the reinforced material under dry sliding conditions. The presence of the lubricant increased the contribution of adhesive wear component while reducing the severity of abrasion. This was attributed to the generation of more stable lubricant films on the contacting surfaces. Cross-sections of worn surfaces indicated substantial wear-induced plastic deformation, thereby suggesting adhesive wear to be a predominant wear mechanism in this study. The debris particles revealed deformed flakes and machining chips signifying the involvement of adhesion and abrasion modes of wear respectively.     

The effects of proteins on the friction and lubrication of artificial joints

The tribological testing of artificial hip and knee joints in the laboratory has been ongoing for several decades. This work has been carried out in an attempt to simulate the loading and motion conditions applied in vivo and, therefore, the potential for the success of the joint. However, several different lubricants have been used in these tests. The work documented in this paper compares results obtained using different lubricants and makes suggestions for future work. Hip joints and knee joints of different material combinations were tested in a friction simulator to determine their friction and lubrication properties. Both carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) fluids and bovine serum (with CMC fluids added) were used as the lubricants. These were prepared to various viscosities to produce the Stribeck plots. Human synovial fluid, of just one viscosity, was used as the lubricant with some of the joints to give a true comparison with physiological lubricants. The results showed that, in most cases, the lubricant had a significant effect on the friction developed between the joint surfaces. This is thought to be due to the proteins that are present within the bovine serum adsorbing to the bearing surfaces, creating 'solid-like' films which rub together, protecting the surfaces from solid-to-solid contact. This would be beneficial in terms of wear but can either increase or decrease the friction between the contacting surfaces. It is important to simulate the conditions in vivo as closely as possible when testing these joints to try to obtain a better comparison between the joints and to simulate more accurately the way that these joints will operate in the body. In an attempt to simulate synovial fluid, bovine serum seems to be the most popular lubricant used at present. It would be beneficial, however, to develop a new synthetic lubricant that more closely matches synovial fluid. This would allow us to predict more accurately how these joints would operate long-term in vivo.     

Tribological evaluation and analysis of the head/disk interface with perfluoropolyether and X1-P phosphazene mixed lubricants

The retention characteristics of magnetic thin film media coated with perfluoropolyether (PFPE) lubricants and a phosphazene additive, X-1P, were investigated in this study. The retention performance was evaluated by a drag test with a waffle head sliding against the disk that was designed to mechanically wear out the lubricant layer. An IR beam was aligned on the test track to directly measure the amount of PFPE lubricants and X-1P left on the media surfaces for determining the retention characteristics of the lubricants. The drag test results show that under ambient and hot/wet conditions the media coated with AM3001 PFPE lubricant have higher retention ratio on the test track than those coated with ZDOL 2000 PFPE lubricant. The phosphazene additive X-1P was observed to strongly anchor on the surface and not easily removed as PFPE lubricants (ZDOL and AM3001). The retention characteristics of X-1P are independent of lube combination, either AM or ZDOL lubricants. It is demonstrated that X1-P exhibits a good antiwear property and excellent retention performance. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A New Tribological Approach for Lubricated Sliding Contact of Pitted Metallic Curvature Cup

Interest in the development and application of plant-based lubricants for medical use is increasing. This study investigates palm oil lubricants as environmentally friendly and renewable resources to optimize the motion in an ergonomic simulated metal hip prosthesis with modification to the acetabular cup surface. Although metal hip replacements are extensively used, minimizing metal-on-metal friction and wear using safe lubricants requires further investigation. The main physical properties of palm kernel oil and palm fatty acid distillate are considered. The viscosity, wear scar, and coefficient of friction are compared to hyaluronic acid. A modified pin-on-disc tribometer simulates friction and wear on a 28-mm-diameter acetabular cup and microscopy image analysis is used to examine the wear scar. The physical properties of palm oil derivatives reduce friction and wear. In brief, the most significant results of this study include the effect of lubricant and number of pits on wear and friction coefficient. The contribution of this research work is to maintain stability and increase the lifetime of ergonomic metal hip implants.