Search results

The purpose of this paper is to study the influence of friction coefficient of materials with different elastic modulus on the variation of velocity and load under water lubrication and oil lubrication conditions.

Low-viscosity lubricating oil and water were used as lubricants to test the friction performance of the ball-disc contact friction pair in the lubrication state on the universal micro-tribometer multi-functional friction and wear test system.

In the same speed range, the lubrication states from soft to rigid materials are not necessarily similar to each other. Generally, the material with low elastic modulus is suitable in low-viscosity lubricant environments, while the material with high elastic modulus has relatively smaller friction coefficients in oil-lubricated environments compared with water lubrication. However, the coefficients of polyethylene, polytetrafluoroethylen and polyoxymethylene are exceeded by rubber’s coefficients under water lubrication in the same experiment environments, and their lubrication states are not affected by lubricants. The friction coefficient of the friction pair decreases with the increase of loads; however, it does not apply to all materials. The friction coefficients of materials with smaller elastic modulus such as rubber under high loads are rather large. Therefore, the elastic modulus of the material under high loads is a factor to be considered.

The Stribeck curves study of the ball-disk contact friction pair comprising soft and rigid materials, whose elastic modulus is from hundreds of GPa to a few of MPa, was carried out. The influence of different speeds, loads and lubricants on the friction coefficient of the friction pair was revealed, which provided a research basis for the selection and matching of friction pair materials.

This study aims to investigate the tribological performance of neat polyamide-imide (PAI) and PAI composite (PAI + 12% graphite + 3% polytetrafluoroethylene [PTFE]) under varying mediums and conditions, including dry sliding, distilled water and seawater lubrication, to determine their suitability for high-stress applications.

Tribological tests were conducted using a pin-on-disc setup with AISI 316 L stainless steel (SS) as counterface. Experiments were carried out under loads of 150 and 300 N and sliding speeds of 1.5 and 3.0 m/s. Values of temperatures, friction coefficients and wear rates were recorded to analyze the effect of fillers and lubrication mediums.

The PAI composite outperformed the neat PAI under all conditions, showing significant reductions in friction coefficients and wear rates. Seawater lubrication yielded the best results, achieving friction coefficients of 0.05 and 0.01 and specific wear rates of 18.10⁻¹⁶ m²/N and 1.10 ⁻¹⁵ m²/N, for neat PAI and PAI composite, respectively. Graphite and PTFE fillers enhanced lubrication, reduced surface temperatures and mitigated abrasive and adhesive wear mechanisms. Superior cooling and lubrication effects of the seawater contributed to these improvements.

Previous studies mainly focused on dry sliding and distilled water lubrication for the PAI and its composites, with no research on the seawater conditions. This study compares the tribological behaviors of the neat PAI and PAI composite against AISI 316 L SS under dry sliding, distilled water and seawater lubrication.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-08-2024-0302/

Water-lubricated rubber bearing is one of the most appropriate bearings for underwater use. The most popular design used widely today is the straight fluted rubber bearing. The special configuration leads to partial hydrodynamic lubrication and low load capacity. A new bearing bush structure with two cavities which is favorable for constructing continuous hydrodynamic lubrication was designed and studied. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

A new bearing bush structure with two cavities which is favorable for constructing continuous hydrodynamic lubrication was designed. The apparatus for studying the tribological behaviors of the two types of water-lubricated rubber bearings has been devised and established in the paper. The experimental studies on the tribological properties of the rubber bearings have been conducted under different loads and velocities. The eccentricity ratio of the new structure rubber bearing with two cavities was measured in experiment and the load capacity was calculated by numerical simulation.

The experimental results show that the friction coefficient decreases with increasing velocity; the friction coefficient increases sharply with the rising temperature, the friction coefficient increases at first and then decreases with increasing load for fluted rubber bearings. The numerical results were in good agreement with the experimental results. The numerical results show that complete hydrodynamic lubrication can be formed in the new designed rubber bearing with two cavities. The experimental and numerical results all indicate that there is an appropriate bearing clearance which the friction coefficient is minimum and the load capacity is maximum.

A new bearing bush structure with two cavities which is beneficial to constructing continuous hydrodynamic lubrication film was designed. A new apparatus for studying the tribological behaviors of the two types of water-lubricated rubber bearings has been devised and established. Experimental and numerical study on the new structure rubber bearing were conducted in the paper.

This paper aims to explore the possibility of converting the nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) water-lubricated bearing material into a self-lubricating bearing material by the action of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) particles and water lubrication.

A group of experimental studies was carried out on a ring-on-block friction test. The physical properties, tribological properties and interface structure of PTFE-NBR self-lubricating composites filled with different percentages of PTFE particles were investigated.

The experimental results indicated that the reduction in friction and wear is a result of the formation of the lubricating film on the surface of the composites. The lubricating film was formed of a large amount of PTFE particles continuously supplied under water lubrication conditions and the PTFE particles here can greatly enhance the load capacity and lubrication performance.

In this study, the tribological properties of PTFE particles added to the NBR water-lubricated bearing materials under water lubrication were investigated experimentally, and the research was carried out by a ring-on-block friction test. It is believed that this study can provide some guidance for the application of PTFE-NBR self-lubricating.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-05-2020-0187/

It is aiming at finding tribology performance laws and mechanism of sintering materials, including new materials, which are popular or potential materials of mechanical seals working under water condition with different working parameters, involving load and sliding speed.

Falex-1506 tribo-machine has been used. The upper sample is rotated against the stationary sample below. They are all rings. The samples are WNV2, sintered pressureless bonded; CHV1, graphite-added PLSiC; R, sintered reaction bonded; R2, graphite-added RBSiC, cemented carbide YN6 and graphite MSMG. Twenty kinds of hard/hard and soft/hard pairs were tested under water condition. Then, SEM was used to observe the sliding surface to explain their rubbing mechanism.

Friction coefficients decrease with the load increasing under water lubrication due to water holding by small holes on their surface. But the friction coefficients have no change with the varying of velocity. The hard alloy/sintered silicon carbon pairs may be better choice, where the lowest friction coefficient is only about 0.02, than soft/hard or silicon carbon/silicon carbon pairs under water lubrication, especially under heavy load.

The test was carried under load from 89 N (0.7 MPa) to 356 N (2.80 MPa) and sliding velocity from 0.746 to 5.074 m/s where the lubrication is in mixed.

The detailed values of frictional coefficients of popular and potential sintered material of mechanical seals working under water lubrication were given by the experimental research which may be helpful for the choice of mechanical seal materials.

As the companion paper of Part I, this paper aims to get more insight into the essence of lambda and to reveal its nature and role in the transition of lubrication states. Mixed lubrication (ML) model with micro-asperities contacts has been discussed in details in Part I.

Mimetic algorithm is used to get numerical solutions. Relationships between film thickness ratios and lubrication states transition with different external loads, rotating speeds, radial clearances, elastic modulus, surface hardness and roughness parameters are obtained.

The characteristic parameters of transitions from boundary lubrication (BL) to ML and ML to hydrodynamic lubrication (HL) are studied to determine how these parameters change with above factors. Finally, the essence and major influencing factors of lambda are summarized for such bearings.

In Part II, the authors believe that the paper presents for the first time: further insight into the essence of the lambda ratio, and its role in the lubrication states transition are given; the determinations of the characteristic parameters of transition from BL to ML and ML to HL are investigated for the first time; the characteristic parameters of transitions from BL to ML and ML to HL are also studied to determine how parameters (external load, rotating speed, radial clearance, elastic modulus, surface hardness and roughness parameter) change with above factors; a summary of the essence and major influencing factors of lambda for such bearings is given.

Water lubrication is significant for its environmental friendliness. Composite journal bearing is liable to deform for the huge pressure of water film. This paper aims to study the influence of elastic deformation on how lubrication functions in water-lubricated journal bearings and to provide references for designing composite journal bearings.

The combination of computational fluid dynamics and fluid-structure interaction is adopted in this paper to study the lubrication performance of water-lubricated compliant journal bearings. The influences of elasticity modulus and Poisson’s ratio on load-carrying capacity and elastic deformation are studied for different rotational speeds. Predictions in this work are compared with the published experimental results, and the present work agrees well with the experimental results.

A reference whether elastic deformation should be considered for composite journal bearings is proposed under different working conditions. Besides, a reference to determine water-lubricated plain journal bearings dimensions under different loads and rotational speeds is developed with the effect of both elastic deformation and cavitation being accounted.

The present research provides references as to whether elastic deformation should be considered in operation and to determine compliant journal bearings’ dimensions in the design process.

This study aims to evaluate the tribological behavior of water-lubricated rubber bearings sliding against stainless steel under different lubricate conditions.

The water-lubricated rubber bearings under various normal loads and sliding speeds were carried out on the ring-block friction test, and the wear morphology is test conducted by using scanning electron microscope.

The results indicate that the surface of water-lubricated rubber bearings has a more alternative friction coefficient and wear rate under seawater than other lubricate conditions. The seawater not only acts as a lubricating medium but also brings microstructure while corroding the rubber interface, thereby further enhancing the lubricating effect and storing abrasive debris.

In this paper, tribological properties of the water-lubricated rubber bearing on ring-block friction test has been investigated. Water-lubricated rubber bearing was carried out on various lubricate conditions, and the friction coefficient, wear rate and worn surface were analyzed. Also, the effects of sliding speeds were investigated.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-06-2020-0204/

This paper aims to provide efficient methods to calculate the friction coefficients and film thickness ratios in mixed lubrication (ML) regime for water lubricated bearings. Mathematical models consider influence of micro-asperities contacts which is based on the Gauss random distribution.

Effects of external loads, rotating speeds and radial clearances are obtained. Algorithm shown here is applied to a class of common industrial problems. Calculated Stribeck values are given and evaluated. The calculated and experimental results agree well which proves the correctness of the model.

In Part I, the authors believe that the paper presents the following for the first time: universal methods are developed for the calculation of friction coefficients and film thickness ratios (lambda) in ML regime; effects of different external loads, rotating speeds and radial clearances on friction coefficients and film thickness ratios are presented in detail; comparisons are made between the results predicted by the model and experimental results, and they agree rather well which proves the correctness of the model.

Present work successfully develops universal methods for predicting the friction coefficients and film thickness ratios.

Rubber-plastic double-layer bush water-lubricated bearings have demonstrated superior performance, while research on their vibration characteristics remains limited. This paper aims to investigate the lubrication and vibration properties of these bearings by experiments and examine the effect of rubber-to-plastic bush thickness ratio on bearing performance.

A water-lubricated journal bearing test rig is constructed, and three bearings with different bush thickness ratios are fabricated. Bush deformation under various loads is measured, and the friction coefficient and axis trajectory under different operating conditions are tested. The vibration responses of the bearings under directional harmonic excitation are studied. The influences of rotational speed, load and rubber-to-plastic bush thickness ratio on the bearing’s lubrication and vibration properties are analyzed.

The friction coefficient of the bearing initially decreases rapidly and subsequently increases gradually as the rotational speed or load increases. The bearing with a thicker rubber bush shows lower displacement amplitudes in its axis trajectory. Under a 45° directed excitation, significant oscillations are observed in the vertical displacement, while the horizontal displacement remains stable. The damping effect of the bearing with a thicker rubber bush is more pronounced.

This paper present the influence of rubber-to-plastic bush thickness ratio on bearing lubrication and vibration performance. The results are valuable for the design of this type of bearing.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-12-2024-0469/