The Role of Surface Temperatures in Tribopolymerization as aMechanism of Boundary Lubrication

本研究的主要目的是更好地理解摩擦聚合——直接在摩擦表面上计划或有意形成聚合物薄膜——作为边界润滑的机制，特别强调表面温度在该过程中的作用。在摩擦学接触下，通过缩聚和加成反应形成表面聚合物的选定单体的行为将在一个研究项目中进行研究，该研究项目将结合以下实验系统或技术：(a)一个先进的旋转蓝宝石盘/红外显微镜装置，以确定摩擦产生的表面温度；(b)表面分析技术——包括傅里叶变换红外光谱——研究形成的聚合物表面薄膜的特性；(c)其他热效应与表面反应和聚合耦合的方法。这项研究的意义在于，它代表了一种合理和创新的方法来设计化学结构，作为边界润滑剂，以减少摩擦过程中的磨损和表面损伤。与传统的抗磨添加剂与固体表面（如铁）发生化学反应形成保护层不同，这种方法涉及表面膜的沉积，其作用是减少粘附、磨损和损坏。主要研究人员认为，更好地了解摩擦聚合过程，包括表面温度、催化作用和电子发射在摩擦接触中的作用，将为在各种系统中最大限度地减少磨损开辟新的、极其有效的、非常规的方法。这将使为给定的摩擦学系统设计特定的抗磨添加剂成为可能。

The primary objective of this research is to obtain a better understanding of tribopolymerization--the planned or intentional formation of polymeric films directly on rubbing surfaces--as a mechanism of boundary lubrication, with special emphasis on the role of surface temperatures on the process. The behavior of selected monomers capable of forming surface polymers under tribological contact by polycondensation as well as addition reactions will be investigated in a research program which couples the following experimental systems or techniques: (a) an advanced rotating sapphire disk/infrared microscope device to determine surface temperatures produced by friction; (b) surface analytical techniques- -including Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy--to study the characteristics of thin polymer surface films formed; and (c) other methods which couple thermal effects with surface reactions and polymerization. The significance of this research is that it represents a rational and innovative approach to the design of chemical structures to act as boundary lubricants to reduce wear and surface damage in tribological processes. Unlike conventional antiwear additives which chemically react with the solid surface (e.g., iron) to from a protective layer, this approach involves the deposition of a surface film which acts to reduce adhesion, wear, and damage. The principal investigators believe that a better understanding of the tribopolymerization process-- including the role of surface temperature, catalysis, and electron emission in tribological contact--will open the door to new, extremely effective, and unconventional approaches to minimizing wear in a wide variety of systems. This should make it possible to design specific antiwear additives for given tribological systems.