Tribology (Friction, Lubrication and
Wear Analysis) Test Systems

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Tribology comprises the science and technology of interacting surfaces in relative motion; that is, friction, lubrication and wear. Tribology is a vast and interdisciplinary subject, ranging from the fundamental physics of surface contact and adhesion to the application of advanced materials and lubricants to solve practical industrial friction and wear problems.

ORNL has been involved with tribology since the early 1980's when an ASME study^* indicated that energy savings through tribology research and development in road transportation, power generation, turbomachinery, and industrial machinery and processes could well exceed $21,000,000,000 per year (in 1981 dollars). Throughout history, tribology has been driven by the needs of transportation technology, and ORNL's earliest ground-breaking work involved evaluating the potential for using advanced structural ceramics as wear parts in energy-efficient engines. Since then ORNL has become a recognized leader in the friction and wear characterization of ceramic composites, intermetallic alloys and advanced ceramics.

Physical testing and material analysis constitute a major portion of the work in our tribology laboratory. Experiments are designed to screen materials, effect simulations of components, or study the basic relationships between the microstructures and compositions of surfaces and their friction and wear behavior. There are three types of machines in our laboratory: (1) commercially developed testing machines, (2) machines designed under subcontract and (3) machines designed and built by us for special purposes. Most of the testing machines are aimed at sliding wear, but we can also perform abrasive wear, impact wear and rolling-contact wear tests if needed. Tribology testing at high temperatures and controlled atmospheres is within our capabilities.

^*(Strategy for Energy Conservation Through Tribology, 2^nd ed., American Society for Mechanical Engineers, New York, 1981.)

The URL of this page is http://www.html.ornl.gov/mituc/tribol.htm.
Last modified on December 04, 2003 .

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