Journal Description
Lubricants
Lubricants
is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal on tribology published monthly online by MDPI.
- Open Access— free for readers, with article processing charges (APC) paid by authors or their institutions.
- High Visibility: indexed within Scopus, SCIE (Web of Science), Inspec, CAPlus / SciFinder, and other databases.
- Journal Rank: JCR - Q2 (Engineering, Mechanical) / CiteScore - Q2 (Mechanical Engineering)
- Rapid Publication: manuscripts are peer-reviewed and a first decision is provided to authors approximately 14.8 days after submission; acceptance to publication is undertaken in 3.5 days (median values for papers published in this journal in the second half of 2023).
- Recognition of Reviewers: reviewers who provide timely, thorough peer-review reports receive vouchers entitling them to a discount on the APC of their next publication in any MDPI journal, in appreciation of the work done.
Impact Factor:
3.1 (2023);
5-Year Impact Factor:
3.1 (2023)
Latest Articles
Calculation Method and Experimental Study on Circumferential Total Clearance of Cageless Bearings
Lubricants 2024, 12(7), 238; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants12070238 (registering DOI) - 28 Jun 2024
Abstract
This paper addresses the issue of the frequent collision and grinding of rolling elements in cageless bearings during operation by proposing a method to calculate the total circumferential clearance. The calculation is based on the maximum orbital speed difference in the bearing rolling
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This paper addresses the issue of the frequent collision and grinding of rolling elements in cageless bearings during operation by proposing a method to calculate the total circumferential clearance. The calculation is based on the maximum orbital speed difference in the bearing rolling elements to determine the minimum clearance needed to prevent collision. The study analyzes the impact of the rolling element diameter, bearing pitch diameter, contact angle, and number of rolling elements on the total circumferential clearance. The discussion then focuses on optimizing the number of rolling elements in cageless bearings. The optimization results demonstrate that the proposed calculation reduces collisions between rolling elements and bearing stress. Additionally, a total circumferential clearance test was conducted on a logarithmic spiral bearing, showing significant improvements in wear, average temperature, and temperature rise when designed according to the method presented in this article. These findings offer valuable insights into the design of cageless bearings.
Full article
Open AccessArticle
Cold Spray Deposition of MoS2- and WS2-Based Solid Lubricant Coatings
by
Jeffrey R. Lince, Peter Woods, Eric Woods, Wai H. Mak, Scott D. Sitzman and Andrew J. Clough
Lubricants 2024, 12(7), 237; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants12070237 (registering DOI) - 28 Jun 2024
Abstract
The cold spray deposition technique has been used to produce a new class of solid lubricant coatings using powder feedstocks of the metal disulfides WS2 or MoS2, either pure or mixed with Cu and Ni metal powders. Friction and cycle
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The cold spray deposition technique has been used to produce a new class of solid lubricant coatings using powder feedstocks of the metal disulfides WS2 or MoS2, either pure or mixed with Cu and Ni metal powders. Friction and cycle lives were obtained using ball-on-flat reciprocating tribometry of coated 304 SS flats in dry nitrogen and vacuum at higher Hertzian contact stresses (Smax = 1386 MPa (201 ksi)). The measured friction and thickness of the coatings were much lower than for previous studies (COF = 0.03 ± 0.01 and ≤1 µm, respectively), which is due to their high metal disulfide:metal ratios. Cu-containing metal sulfide coatings exhibited somewhat higher cycle lifetimes than the pure metal sulfide coatings, even though the Cu content was only ~1 wt%. Profiling of wear tracks for coatings tested to 3000 cycles (i.e., pre-failure) yielded specific wear rates in the range 3–7 × 10−6 mm3N−1m−1, similar to other solid lubricant coatings. When compared to other coating techniques, the cold spray method represents a niche that has heretofore been vacant. In particular, it will be useful in many precision ball-bearing applications that require higher throughput and lower costs than sputter-deposited MoS2-based coatings.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges in Tribology of Space Mechanisms)
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Open AccessReview
A Review of the Rheological Consistency of Materials
by
Alan Gurt and Michael Khonsari
Lubricants 2024, 12(7), 236; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants12070236 - 28 Jun 2024
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Despite the ubiquity and prevalence of rheological consistency across a wide range of industries, there is no clear consensus on its meaning or on one particular technique for quantifying it. Instead, there exist various definitions of “consistency” that are each specific to a
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Despite the ubiquity and prevalence of rheological consistency across a wide range of industries, there is no clear consensus on its meaning or on one particular technique for quantifying it. Instead, there exist various definitions of “consistency” that are each specific to a given context, and each industry has its own procedure for measuring it. This paper organizes the many subjects and terminologies associated with consistency, providing a comprehensive guide of fundamental mechanics, fundamental properties, modeling techniques, and standardized tests that describe consistency. This includes outlining the rheological models that describe the behavior of viscoelastic and non-Newtonian materials as well as the identification of numerous parameters that can be individually evaluated to comprehensively understand and quantify consistency. Such an understanding of consistency and its underlying mechanical properties encourages the refinement of current consistency test methods and development of new ones.
Full article
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Open AccessArticle
Holistic Measurement of the Friction Behavior of Wet Clutches
by
Patrick Strobl, Georg Johann Meingassner, Hermann Pflaum, Katharina Voelkel, Thomas Schneider and Karsten Stahl
Lubricants 2024, 12(7), 235; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants12070235 - 25 Jun 2024
Abstract
The safe and efficient torque transmission of wet disk clutch systems requires high coefficients of friction. To achieve good controllability and high comfort, a positive slope of the coefficient of friction over sliding velocity is ensured by a reasonable formulation of the lubricant
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The safe and efficient torque transmission of wet disk clutch systems requires high coefficients of friction. To achieve good controllability and high comfort, a positive slope of the coefficient of friction over sliding velocity is ensured by a reasonable formulation of the lubricant and choice of the friction pairing. This results in low transmittable torque at low sliding velocities. Thus, the occurrence of unwanted micro-slip in dynamic operation modes must be considered for the design of safety-relevant clutch systems. This work presents a methodology for the holistic measurement of the friction behavior of wet disk clutches. It is suitable for numerous applications and supports a sound understanding of frictional properties in the range of sliding velocities occurring in brake shifts through forced slip operation down to static torque transmission. The experimental determination of the holistic friction behavior is crucial for developing optimized design guidelines for modern clutch systems.
Full article
Open AccessArticle
Study on the Friction Characteristics and Fatigue Life of Carbonitriding-Treated Needle Bearings
by
Yong Chen, Xiangrun Pu, Lijie Hao, Guangxin Li and Li Luo
Lubricants 2024, 12(7), 234; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants12070234 - 24 Jun 2024
Abstract
Being a key component of the transmission system, the needle bearing’s performance and service life affects the overall service life of mechanical equipment. This study takes needle bearings composed of AISI 52100 steel as the research object and studies the effect of carbonitriding
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Being a key component of the transmission system, the needle bearing’s performance and service life affects the overall service life of mechanical equipment. This study takes needle bearings composed of AISI 52100 steel as the research object and studies the effect of carbonitriding surface strengthening treatment on the bearing friction, wear, and fatigue life. The carbon and nitrogen co-infiltration surface-strengthening method was employed to prepare cylindrical and disc samples. The surface hardness, residual austenite content, microscopic morphology and organization composition, coefficient of friction, and wear scar were studied to analyze the effect on the wear performance of the material. The bearing fatigue wear comparison test was conducted on a test bench to compare the actual fatigue life and surface damage of the needle bearing through conventional martensitic quenching heat treatment and carbonitriding treatment. The results demonstrate that the carbonitriding strengthening method enhances the toughness of the material while improving its surface hardness. It also improves the wear resistance of the needle roller bearings, and the fatigue life of the bearings is significantly improved. In conclusion, carbon and nitrogen co-infiltration treatment is a strengthening method that effectively extends the service life of needle roller bearings, indicating its high practical value.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tribological Characteristics of Bearing System, 2nd Edition)
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Open AccessArticle
Effect of Hydrogen Pressure on the Fretting Behavior of Rubber Materials
by
Géraldine Theiler, Natalia Cano Murillo and Andreas Hausberger
Lubricants 2024, 12(7), 233; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants12070233 - 23 Jun 2024
Abstract
Safety and reliability are the major challenges to face for the development and acceptance of hydrogen technology. It is therefore crucial to deeply study material compatibility, in particular for tribological components that are directly in contact with hydrogen. Some of the most critical
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Safety and reliability are the major challenges to face for the development and acceptance of hydrogen technology. It is therefore crucial to deeply study material compatibility, in particular for tribological components that are directly in contact with hydrogen. Some of the most critical parts are sealing materials that need increased safety requirements. In this study, the fretting behavior of several elastomer materials were evaluated against 316L stainless steel in an air and hydrogen environment up to 10 MPa. Several grades of cross-linked hydrogenated acrylonitrile butadiene (HNBR), acrylonitrile butadiene (NBR) and ethylene propylene diene monomer rubbers (EPDM) were investigated. Furthermore, aging experiments were conducted for 7 days under static conditions in 100 MPa of hydrogen followed by rapid gas decompression. Fretting tests revealed that the wear of these compounds is significantly affected by the hydrogen environment compared to air, especially with NBR grades. After the aging experiment, the friction response of the HNBR grades is characterized by increased adhesion due to elastic deformation, leading to partial slip.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tribology in Germany: Latest Research and Development)
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Open AccessArticle
Properties of Laser-Alloyed Stainless Steel Coatings on the Surface of Gray Cast Iron Discs
by
Shuwen Wang, Jiale Hao, Yu Zhou, Chunxing Gu and John Williams
Lubricants 2024, 12(7), 232; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants12070232 - 22 Jun 2024
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The influence of laser-alloyed stainless steel coatings on the properties of the surfaces of cast iron discs, such as friction-induced vibration and noise, friction coefficient, residual stress, hardness, and corrosion resistance, was investigated in this study. The experimental results show that after laser
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The influence of laser-alloyed stainless steel coatings on the properties of the surfaces of cast iron discs, such as friction-induced vibration and noise, friction coefficient, residual stress, hardness, and corrosion resistance, was investigated in this study. The experimental results show that after laser alloying, the surface hardness of the cast iron discs increased significantly. The residual stresses on the surfaces of the laser-alloyed discs changed from tensile to compressive residual stresses, while any compressive residual stresses increased by more than six times. Most of the laser-alloyed discs demonstrated better performance in friction-induced vibration and noise damping and friction reduction. Metallographic observation and XRD (X-ray diffraction) analysis results show that the laser-alloyed layer is mainly a mixture of acicular martensite and dendritic material, while the phase composition of laser-treated discs is mainly martensitic, [Fe, Ni], Fe3Si, Cr23C6, and austenite, which plays a significant role in the improvement of the properties of the laser-alloyed cast iron in physics, tribology and corrosion resistance. This research has significance for the laser surface treatment of various cast irons and steels, which is an increasingly important manufacturing technology in the vehicle friction brake industry.
Full article
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Open AccessArticle
Microstructural, Mechanical and Tribological Behaviors of Cu/LLDPE-Based Composite Coatings for Lightweight Applications
by
Basma Ben Difallah, Ayda Bouaziz, Ana Horovistiz, Mohamed Kharrat, Maher Dammak, César Cardoso and António Pereira
Lubricants 2024, 12(7), 231; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants12070231 - 21 Jun 2024
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This research work focuses on the development and analysis of copper-filled linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) coatings deposited on LLDPE substrate via a thermocompression process. A dry mechanical mixing technique is employed to mix the copper–LLDPE powders. This relevant technology aims to develop new
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This research work focuses on the development and analysis of copper-filled linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) coatings deposited on LLDPE substrate via a thermocompression process. A dry mechanical mixing technique is employed to mix the copper–LLDPE powders. This relevant technology aims to develop new solid lubricating layered composite coatings without a negative environmental impact. Four different materials of the coatings are considered, i.e., LLDPE + 2 wt.% Cu, LLDPE + 6 wt.% Cu, LLDPE + 10 wt.% Cu and LLDPE + 20 wt.% Cu. The microstructural characterizations indicate a good degree of dispersion and adhesion between the continuous and dispersed phases at 20 wt.% Cu coatings. The mechanical properties of the pure polymer and the fully filled composite materials are investigated experimentally using tensile tests and Micro-Vickers hardness. The stiffness, hardness and mechanical strength of the composites are enhanced. Friction tests are also carried out via a linear reciprocating sliding tribometer. The incorporation of copper powder has a significant improvement on the friction and wear properties of the developed coatings. Higher copper powder loading provides a lower friction coefficient and wear volume loss. The best tribological performances are obtained with the LLDPE + 20 wt.% Cu coating. The wear mechanism of the LLDPE substrate is severe adhesive wear, and it becomes mild abrasive wear in case of the 20 wt.% Cu coating.
Full article
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