BeginnerTopic 33 of 100Materials & Chemical

Wear and tribology

Friction, lubrication and wear mechanisms of surfaces.

In depth

Tribology studies friction, wear and lubrication. Wear types: adhesive, abrasive, erosive, fatigue and corrosive. Archard's law V=kFs/H. Lubrication regimes: boundary, mixed, hydrodynamic (Stribeck curve). Surface treatments (nitriding, DLC, hardfacing) cut wear.

Key points

  • Coefficient of friction
  • Surface roughness
  • Oil viscosity and additives
Example

Engine bearings run on a hydrodynamic oil film at speed.

Why it matters

Friction, wear and lubrication determine the life of moving parts, so tribology is key for bearings, gears and seals.

Where this is used

  • Choosing a lubricant for a gearbox that runs at high load.
  • Selecting a hard coating for a cutting tool to reduce wear.
  • Designing a bearing surface that resists adhesive wear.

Frequently asked questions

What is Wear and tribology?

Friction, lubrication and wear mechanisms of surfaces.

Why is it important to understand wear and tribology?

Friction, wear and lubrication determine the life of moving parts, so tribology is key for bearings, gears and seals.

What are the main types of wear?

Adhesive, abrasive, erosive and fatigue wear, each caused by a different mechanism at the contact surface.

What does a lubricant do?

It separates surfaces with a film, which reduces friction and wear, and the regime depends on film thickness relative to surface roughness.

How is Wear and tribology used in practice?

Typical applications include choosing a lubricant for a gearbox that runs at high load, selecting a hard coating for a cutting tool to reduce wear and designing a bearing surface that resists adhesive wear.

What should I learn before Wear and tribology?

Study "Oxidation and high temperature degradation" first (topic 32 of 100 in Materials & Chemical). It covers the groundwork this topic builds on.

What are the key points of Wear and tribology?

Coefficient of friction. Surface roughness. Oil viscosity and additives.

Can you give an example of Wear and tribology?

Engine bearings run on a hydrodynamic oil film at speed.

What comes after Wear and tribology?

The next topic is "Ceramics", which builds directly on this one.

How difficult is Wear and tribology?

It is classed as Beginner in Materials & Chemical (topic 33 of 100). It is an entry-level topic. It relies only on basic school mathematics and the ideas introduced earlier in this discipline.

Learning path

Want to practise? Open the interactive course for quick checks, quizzes, simulations and progress tracking.

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