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Friction Characteristics and Mechanisms of Two Lithium Greases in Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication

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Abstract

Two types of lithium greases were fabricated by using PAO and polyol ester as two base oils. The friction tests for the lithium soap-based greases were performed under different operating conditions by mini-traction machine, and the data were compared and analysed. The results show that when the lithium-based soap thickens different types of base oils with the same viscosity, the greater the elastohydrodynamic friction coefficient of the base oil, the greater the elastohydrodynamic friction coefficient of the grease. In a low-speed bearing or contact pair, both base oil and thickener go through the contact zone to contribute to the friction of the grease. When the same lithium-based thickener thickens the different base oils, the greater the interactions between the base oil molecules, the greater the interactions between the base oil molecules and the thickener molecules, the wider the soap fibres, and the greater the friction coefficient of the grease. The friction coefficient of oil PAO–lithium-based soap grease is higher than that of its base oil PAO. The friction coefficient of oil polyol ester–lithium-based soap grease is less than that of its base oil polyol ester when the viscosities of the two base oils are 68 mm2/s.

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Funding

The work is supported by the projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51475143) and the National Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin, China (16JCYBJC18900).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, 250353, Shandong, China

    Yanshuang Wang

  2. China Sinopec Lubricant Co., Ltd. Tianjin Branch, Tianjin, 300480, China

    Baojie Wu

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  1. Yanshuang Wang
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  2. Baojie Wu
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Correspondence to Yanshuang Wang.

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Wang, Y., Wu, B. Friction Characteristics and Mechanisms of Two Lithium Greases in Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication. J Fail. Anal. and Preven. 20, 1266–1273 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-020-00932-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-020-00932-8

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