Open Access

In this study unfilled and graphite filled thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) were investigated in tribological pin-on-disc tests.

Costs reduction is one of the major objectives in mechanical applications with a parallel increase of the power output. Another driver represents new environmental standards and their increasing restrictions in the automotive industry leading to the question, if materials based concepts may substitute harmful EP/AW additives in lubricants. This paper presents the slip-rolling resistance of different DLC/THC coatings on steel substrates with a definite slip rate of 10%. Industrial DLC coatings of ta-C and a-C:H types from various manufacturers were deposited on steels SAE 52100 and AMS 5898 to compile the slip-rolling resistance under initial average Hertzian contact pressures between 1.5 GPa and 2 GPa. The tests were carried out on Amsler-type twin disc tribometer under the regime of mixed/boundary lubrication in unadditivated paraffinic oil (ISO VG 46) and a factory fill engine oil. The spherical steel sample was uncoated and the cylindrical coated with DLC. Some coatings achieved 10 million cycles without any damage under a maximal Hertzian contact pressure Pmax well over 2.25 GPa, thus exceeding FZG 12.

This lecture deals with the sliding behaviour of polymer materials in hydrogen environment. After a short introduction of the hydrogen activities at BAM, the tribological performances of polymer materials in gaseous hydrogen are presented and compared with air and vacuum environment. The second part focusses on the influence of the counterface materials in hydrogen. Finally, the last section is dedicated to experiments liquid hydrogen.

This lecture deals with the friction and wear of polymeric materials at cryogenic temperatures. The first part is dedicated to the low temperature properties of polymers and cryogenic environment as well as an introduction to cryotribology and friction models. The second part presents some experimental results, focusing on the effect of polymer composition, cryogenic media and stick-slip behaviour.

This paper presents investigations on the tribological behaviour of PTFE composites against steel at cryogenic temperatures. The results showed that the friction coefficient decreases with temperature down to 77 K, but did not follow a linear evolution further down to extreme low temperatures. It can be stated that the cryogenic environment has a significant influence on the tribological performance of the polymer composites. The effect of low temperatures was more clearly detected at low sliding speed, where friction heat is reduced. A change in wear mechanism from adhesive to abrasive was observed in this case. SEM and AFM analyses showed that the PTFE matrix composites investigated under these experimental conditions have transferred material onto the disc down to very low temperatures. Chemical analyses indicate the presence of iron fluorides.