Awarded Research Themes and Reports
Note: "Affiliation" in the table is based on the day of grant.
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| Grant Year | Research Theme | Principal Investigator, Co-Investigator (Country) |
Research Content Summary / Related Publication / Main Report |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 First |
Contact mechanisms between workpiece and tailored tool surfaces influencing lubrication and friction in tribologically severe manufacturing processes | Dr. Mohd Hafis Sulaiman (Malaysia) 18A01 |
Ⅰ. Summary Tailored tool surfaces show promise as alternative to replace chlorinated oils in sheet-metal forming. The tool surfaces have been tailored by micro-groove as well as coating to look into its potential under dry and minimal lubrication amount of less harmful lubricants. Tribologically severe strip reduction test, emulates industrial ironing, was used to better understand the effects of tailored tool surfaces for severe forming conditions. Investigated tailored tool surfaces have shown a positive result leading to improve lubrication. In the case of applying newly developed DLC/TiAlN coating to tool surface, the coated tools even worked satisfactorily in dry friction condition. Ⅱ. Related Publication (Researcher doesn't agree to disclose main report.) 18A01 Related Publication (HP).pdf Affiliation of Principal Investigator: Universiti Malaysia Perlis |
| Investigating the destructive effect of the lubrication on elastic-plastic contact/collision of lubricated surfaces with application to spalling fatigue failure of rolling element bearings | Prof. Matthew R. W. Brake (USA), Mr. Senyo Ahadzie(USA) 18A08 |
Ⅰ. Summary This research investigated the effect of lubrication on plastic deformations during impact loads. The ultimate goal of this project was to postpone the formation White Etching Cracks (WEC) by optimizing the lubrication for reducing severe plastic deformations. The WECs are widely found in wind turbines and are considered the primary failure mode for these structures. The research was primarily experimental. The effect of lubrication on the properties of the impact response was measured for four different lubrications spanning viscosities from 50 to 220 mm2/s. As the lubrication thickness increased, the permanent deformation in the surface decreased for low viscosity fluids, but increased for high viscosity fluids. Surprisingly, the energy dissipated by the impact decreased for higher viscosity fluids compared to low viscosity fluids, which establishes a contradiction: for higher viscosity fluids, less energy is dissipated by the impact, but the impact event itself is more damaging to the substrate. Ⅱ. Related Publication (Researcher doesn't agree to disclose main report.) 18A08 Main Report (HP).pdf Affiliation of Principal Investigator: William Marsh Rice University |
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| 2018 Second |
Tribological study of hardface coatings for ground-engaging tools | Dr. Christiane Schulz, Assoc. Prof. Colin Hall (all above Australia) 18B06 |
Ⅰ. Summary Within the frame of this project, Ni/WC laser clad and WC/Co thermal spray coatings were developed and tested for their suitability as hardfacing for basecutter blades in sugar cane harvesting. All materials, including commercial references were tested for abrasion resistance (ASTM G65); impact resistance and corrosion resistance in fresh sugar cane juice. It was demonstrated that all tungsten carbide-reinforced coatings were more abrasion resistant than the commercial blades. Abrasion resistance was increased by a factor of 5-40. The experimental coatings have similar impact resistance than the commercial blades, especially the laser clad hardfacings. Corrosion resistance of basecutter blades can be improved by a factor of 10. Overall, the wear and corrosion resistance of basecutter blades can be improved when a suitable material and surfacing process is chosen. The findings of the project can greatly increase the wear resistance of basecutter blades and other agricultural and ground engaging tools. Ⅱ. Related Publication (Researcher doesn't agree to disclose main report.) 18B06 Related Publication (HP).pdf Affiliation of Principal Investigator: University of South Australia |
| In-situ measurement of oil viscosity in an operating journal bearing using shear-horizontal waves | Prof. Pierre Ricco (UK), Prof. Rob S Dwyer-Joyce (UK) 18B10 |
Ⅰ. Summary We have obtained a novel closed-form analytical solution for the response of a forced solid-fluid system. It consists of a wide finite elastic solid located underneath a Newtonian fluid. The bottom surface of the solid is forced horizontally for a finite time period. The system is governed by coupled partial differential equations, describing the shear displacement in the elastic solid and the shear velocity in the fluid. The boundary conditions represent the continuity of shear velocity and shear stress at the solid-fluid boundary, the lower-boundary shear forcing by continuous imposed displacement or shear rate, and the decay of the shear velocity of the fluid at large distance from the solid-liquid interface. Initial conditions of zero displacement and velocity are used.The transient response of the system is obtained analytically using integral transform techniques, i.e. Laplace transforms and Fourier analysis. The solution clearly shows a set of superposed elastic waves in the solid: an incident wave engendered by the driving action at the lower boundary, partially reflected waves at the solid-fluid interface, and perfectly reflected waves at the lower boundary. The transmitted waves which enter the viscous fluid via the interface coupling have an exponentially damped oscillatory profile, with a penetration depth that depends on the fluid viscosity. This response is highly reminiscent of the classic periodic ‘Stokes layer’, and the transient extensions of similar problems. The analytical results have been fully validated by numerical results, obtained by our own numerical code developed by us in-house.These waves have interesting applications in viscosity measurements for lubrication problems, active mixing, turbulent drag reduction, and sensing for biological and chemical flows. The analytical solution gives physical insight which cannot be obtained through a purely numerical solution of the governing system, and is more comprehensive than studies of shear wave propagation using simplified eigenmode analysis, or analogical models not derived from first-principles physical laws. Ⅱ. Related Publication (Researcher doesn't agree to disclose main report.) 18B10 Related Publication (HP).pdf Affiliation of Principal Investigator: University of Sheffield |
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| Understanding Reactions Occurring in Lubricants in Tribological Contacts | Dr. Janet Wong (UK), Prof. Hugh Spikes (UK) 18B16 |
Ⅰ. Summary This work is a part of a larger effort aiming to understand formation of tribofilms as a mechanochemical process. In this work, we have custom-built a Raman spectroscopy setup which can be used together with a tribometer. This allows us to examine chemistry of tribofilm during its formation in real time. MoDTC is a commonly used antiwear additive, which during rubbing in boundary lubrication regime, form a MoS2 tribofilm. Preliminary results show that the experimental platform is capable to monitor the formation of MoS2 film in real time. The nature of the tribofilm is shown to depend on test temperature. The choice of base oil may also affect the chemistry of the tribofilm. Ⅱ. Related Publication (Researcher doesn't agree to disclose main report.) 18B16 Related Publication (HP).pdf Affiliation of Principal Investigator: Imperial College London |