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Micromorphological transformation and frictional nonlinearity at a graphite powder lubricated sliding interface with low speed and heavy load

Weijie Zhou (School of Mechanical Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China)
Yi Zhang (School of Mechanical Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China)
Bin Yang (School of Mechanical Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China)
Xing Lei (School of Mechanical Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China)
Zhaowen Hu (School of Mechanical Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China)
Wei Wang (School of Mechanical Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China)

Industrial Lubrication and Tribology

ISSN: 0036-8792

Article publication date: 12 April 2022

Issue publication date: 30 May 2022

84

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the microtopography transformation at a low-speed heavy-load interface with the lubrication of powder particles and its nonlinear friction effect on the sliding pair in contact.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the universal mechanical tester (UMT) tribometer and VK shape-measuring laser microscope, comparative friction experiments were conducted with graphite powder lubrication. The friction coefficient with nonlinear fluctuations and the three-dimensional morphology of the boundary layer at the interface were observed and analyzed under different operating conditions. The effects on lubrication mechanisms and frictional nonlinearity at the sliding pair were focused on under different surface roughness and powder layer thickness conditions.

Findings

At a certain external load and sliding speed, the initial specimen surface with an appropriate initial roughness and powder thickness can store and bond the powder lubricant to form a boundary film readily. The relatively flat and firm boundary layer of powder at the microscopic interface can reduce the coefficient of friction and suppress its nonlinear fluctuation effectively. Therefore, proper surface roughness and powder layer thickness are beneficial to the graphite lubrication and stability maintenance of a friction pair.

Originality/value

This research is conducive to developing a deep understanding of the microtopography transformation with frictional nonlinearity at a low-speed heavy-load interface with graphite powder lubrication.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This wok was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51875154 and 51975174), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No. JZ2020HGTB00541).

Citation

Zhou, W., Zhang, Y., Yang, B., Lei, X., Hu, Z. and Wang, W. (2022), "Micromorphological transformation and frictional nonlinearity at a graphite powder lubricated sliding interface with low speed and heavy load", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 74 No. 5, pp. 550-556. https://doi.org/10.1108/ILT-09-2021-0392

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited

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