Work

Improving Boundary Lubrication of Phenolic-Based Coatings via Rare Earth Compound-Promoted Transfer Film Growth

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Polymer composite coatings are promising for tribological protection, with stable transfer films being key to their friction-reducing and anti-wear performance, yet the mechanism by which rare-earth compounds, known to enhance polymer tribological properties, regulate transfer film growth remains unclear. In this work, the tribological performance of phenolic resin (PF)-based coatings filled with lanthanum oxide (La2O3) and lanthanum fluoride (LaF3) was systematically investigated. The results demonstrate that the friction coefficients of 5La2O3/PF and 3LaF3/PF decrease to 0.024 and 0.031, representing a 79.66% and 73.95% reduction compared to pure PF, which compensates for the inadequacy of oil lubrication. Tribochemical analyses and characterizations of tribofilm structures confirm that complex tribochemical reactions involving rare-earth compounds occur, promoting the growth of a solid-lubricating tribofilm at the boundary lubrication interface. This work provides a theoretical foundation for the design of high-performance polymer lubricating coatings.

Source: Coatings

DOI: 10.3390/coatings15121417

Authors: Guitao Li, Delong Wang, Huimin Qi, Ga Zhang

Institutions: Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Qingdao Center of Resource Chemistry and New Materials

Language: English

Topic: Tribology and Wear Analysis

Subfield: Mechanics of Materials

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137

Funder: Chinese Academy of Sciences