Replacement of a Multi-function Tribometer

克服摩擦消耗了大量的能量，产品和部件的磨损和更换造成了重大的经济损失。通过改进对摩擦的控制，可以节省大量的费用，而润滑是控制磨损和减少摩擦的有效手段。摩擦学是一门多学科的科学，主要研究运动接触时的摩擦、磨损和润滑。摩擦计是一种测量不同材料的摩擦/润滑和磨损的仪器。自2012年以来，Grecov一直在使用Nanovea T50摩擦计的基本配置，该摩擦计是由NSERC RTI资助购买的。目前，申请人正在申请资金，用多功能的Nanovea T100摩擦计取代现有的摩擦计。尽管T50摩擦计仍可用于初始评估，但它不能用于涉及所有主要润滑机制的更高级研究，而且它的载荷限制在2到20 n之间。Nanovea公司不再提供现有的Nanovea T50摩擦计和替换部件，该公司正在提供以旧换新的方案，用T100版本取代过时的型号。Grecov的研究项目得到了NSERC发现基金（“纳米分散体在润滑和生物润滑中的新应用”）的支持，将能够继续增加T100摩擦计。该研究计划有望带来先进的预测工具，以提高对纳米润滑机制的理解，并从长远来看，为大量工业和生物医学应用提供新的、经济可行的、高性能的环保纳米润滑剂。该设备还将使Grecov的团队能够研究将合成油和植物油添加到纳米颗粒（如纤维素纳米晶体（CNC）、氧化石墨烯（GO）和/或液晶）中的润滑。新型T100多功能摩擦计还将开发一种由透明质酸溶液和CNC制成的粘胶补充剂，用于治疗骨关节炎（OA），从而提高OA患者的生活质量。该设备将使Grecov和Cranston通过NSERC联盟资助的项目以及与Anomera Inc.和BASF的持续合作，在含水悬浮液中羧基化cnc的润滑性能方面进行合作。此外，该摩擦计还将使其他研究合作伙伴受益，这些合作伙伴专注于使用纳米纤维素代替塑料作为化妆品和家用清洁产品的微珠，以及使用纳米纤维素作为食品、化妆品和制药产品凝胶和乳液的稳定剂，其中流变学、触觉感知和润滑是关键的性能指标。福斯特的研究是从叶子提取物中提取疏水涂层，这种涂层可以通过热活化重新结晶成空心棒，这将需要这里要求的摩擦学设备来测试性能和耐用性。

A vast amount of energy is spent to overcome friction, and major economic losses are due to wear of products and components, and their replacement. Considerable savings can be made by improved control of friction, and lubrication is an effective means of controlling wear and reducing friction. Tribology is a multidisciplinary science applied to friction, wear, and lubrication involved at moving contacts. Tribometer is an instrument for measuring the friction/lubricity and the wear of different materials. Since 2012, Grecov has used the Nanovea T50 tribometer with a basic configuration, which was purchased with an NSERC RTI grant. Currently, the applicants are requesting funding to replace the existing tribometer, with a multi-function, Nanovea T100 tribometer. Although still usable for initial evaluations, the T50 tribometer cannot be used for more advanced studies involving all of the main lubrication regimes and it is limited to loads between 2 and 20 N. The existing Nanovea T50 tribometer and replacement parts are no longer being supplied by the Nanovea company, which is offering a trade-in to replace the obsolete model with the T100 version. Grecov's research program, supported by the NSERC Discovery Grant ("Novel applications of nanodispersions in lubrication and bio-lubrication") will be able to proceed with the addition of the T100 tribometer. The research program is expected to lead to advanced, predictive tools to improve the understanding of nano-lubrication mechanisms, and in the long-term, to present new, economically viable, high performance environmentally-friendly nanolubricants for a large number of industrial and biomedical applications. The equipment will also enable Grecov's team to study lubrication with synthetic and vegetable oils added to nanoparticles, such as cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and graphene oxide (GO) and/or liquid crystals. The new T100 multi-function tribometer will also enable the development of a viscosupplement from hyaluronic acid solution and CNC to treat osteoarthritis (OA), thereby improving the quality of life of OA patients. The requested equipment will enable a collaboration between Grecov and Cranston on the lubrication performance of carboxylated CNCs in aqueous suspension through an NSERC Alliance funded project and an ongoing collaboration with Anomera Inc. and BASF. Additionally, the tribometer will benefit other research partnerships focused on using nanocellulose in place of plastics as microbeads for cosmetics and household cleaning products, and using nanocellulose as stabilizers in gels and emulsions for food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products where rheology, tactile perception and lubrication are key performance metrics. Foster's research on the development of a hydrophobic coating from leaf extracts, which could be recrystallized into hollow rods through heat activation, would require the tribological equipment requested here, to test the performance and durability.