Northwestern University

U.S. Army Research Laboratory

Tobias Vela Martin

Yip-Wah Chung

Qian Jane Wang

Arman Mohammad Khan

Qian Wang

Stephen Berkebile

Zaid Ali Subhi Al Hassan

Harry D Wise

Methods of pre-conditioning and lubricating the rubbing surfaces of steel substrates are provided. The methods include a pre-conditioning step in which a hydrocarbon fluid having cycloalkane carboxylic acid additives dispersed therein is used to form a tribofilm on a rubbing surface of a device, following by replacing the pre-conditioning lubricant with a cycloalkane-carboxylic acid-free hydrocarbon lubricant for the regular operation of the device. The tribofilm formed during the pre-conditioning step provides long-term friction and wear reduction at the rubbing surfaces, even after it is replaced, and allows for the subsequent operation of the device without the need to change the composition of the regularly used lubricant.

Surface conditioning with cycloalkane carboxylic acids as additives for wear protection

Methods for forming carbon-based lubricious and/or wear-protective films in situ on the surface of steel alloys are provided. The methods use chromium-containing steel alloys, molybdenum-containing steel alloys, and steel alloys that contain both copper and nickel. When such alloys are subjected to a rubbing motion in the presence of a hydrocarbon fluid, the chromium, molybdenum, copper, and nickel in the steel alloy catalyzes the formation of solid carbon-containing films that reduce the friction, wear, or both of the contacting surfaces.

High-strength steels for the formation of wear-protective lubricious tribofilms directly from hydrocarbon fluids

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Evanston, IL, United States of America

Tobias Vela Martin