!"#$#  # $!

" #%$ &'&(

Varnish: Root Causes,

Detection and Remediation
Better tests and better abatement technologies are
 reducing the damage varnish inflicts across industries.
  

PLUS

Water Dilutable Metal-Removal Fluid Failure – Controlling and understanding

Self-Lubricating Materials and Alloys – Q&A with Manel Rodríguez Ripoll
Gravity Batteries – Expand solar and wind power
Metal Oxide Tribofilms – Scholarship research
Viscosity: HTHS and PSSI – Improving efficiency and preventing wear
Electric Vehicle Batteries – Recycling and repurposing

STLE MOBILE APP

Android Play Store Apple App Store

Annual Meeting section sponsored
by Palmer Holland.
 Contents
TLT / APRIL 2023 / VOLUME 79 / NO. 4

F E AT U R E S

20 MINUTES WITH…
18 Manel Rodríguez Ripoll
This area manager for AC2T research GmbH
discusses self-lubricating materials and alloys.
By Rachel Fowler
LUBRICATION FUNDAMENTALS
22 What do HTHS and PSSI have to
do with viscosity?
High temperature high shear and permanent
shear stability index are two critical
characteristics for improving efficiency and
preventing wear.
By Dan Holdmeyer

18
SCHOLARSHIP RESEARCH
26 Metal oxide tribofilms: Relating antiwear
additive synergy with mechanical properties
Tribology research report written by the recip-
ient of the society’s 2022 scholarship program.
By Daniel Delghandi, Sage Fulco, Pranjal
Nautiyal, Parker LaMascus, Robert J. Wiacek,
Kevin T. Turner and Robert W. Carpick
WEBINAR
34 Understanding and controlling water dilutable
metal-removal fluid failure
Identifying the cause of a metalworking fluid
failure can help you determine which strategy
to employ to counteract the failure.
By Dr. Yulia Sosa
FEATURE ARTICLE
52 Varnish: Root causes, detection
and remediation
Varnish continues to be an issue, but better tests
and better abatement technologies are reducing

22 the damage varnish inflicts across industries.

By Jeanna Van Rensselar

34 52
WWW.STLE.ORG TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY APRIL 2023 • 1
Contents
D E PA R T M E N T S COLUMNS

12 Tech Beat by Dr. Neil Canter 6 President’s Report 86 Cutting Edge

• A molecule motor driven by electricity Rainbow grail What a difference an
• Sustainable conversion of asphaltenes OH makes!
to graphene 8 From the Editor
• Microtubular flow battery Exciting place to be 88 Machinery
Recycling of electric
58 Newsmakers 10 Headquarters Report vehicle batteries
• The Timken Co. Tribology needs talent!
• Impact Fluids
• BASF 84 Automotive Tribology
• IMCD and more Gravity batteries

72 New Products

6 88
• Precision series liquid immersion equipment
• 3D areal surface measurement technology
• Polycaprolactone products

74 Sounding Board
Readers share their insights on bearing
torque performance.

78 Advertisers Index

80 Resources
• Technical Books
- Rolling Bearing Tribology: Tribology
and Failure Modes of
Rolling Element Bearings
- Polymeric Corrosion Inhibitors for

8
Greening the Chemical and
Petrochemical Industry
• Industry Conferences and Events
- 1st International Conference on Tribology
and Sustainable Lubrication (Nextlub)
- Tribology International Conference 2023
- 2023 AOCS Annual Meeting & Expo
- OilDoc Conference & Exhibition
- Future of Surfactants Summit
- Biobased Coatings Europe 2023
- ALIA Annual Meeting 2023
- Lubrication, Maintenance and
Tribotechnology (LUBMAT 2023)
- ITC Fukuoka 2023
- Lubricant Expo

Copyright © 2023 Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Subscription and Single Copies: Current volume single Periodicals Postage is Paid at Park Ridge, IL and at additional
Engineers. All Rights Reserved. copies are $25 (not including shipping and handling). Annual mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes
TLT magazine is owned and published in print and electronically subscription rate is $295/U.S., $400/international. to Tribology and Lubrication Technology, 840 Busse Hwy,
by the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE). Prepayment is required before subscription is started. Park Ridge, IL 60068-2376.
The views set forth in this magazine are those of the authors Remittances from foreign countries must be by international
and not necessarily the views of STLE. Material from TLT money order or bank draft drawn on U.S. bank.
magazine may be reproduced only with written permission Tribology & Lubrication Technology (USPS 865740) Vol. 79,
from STLE. TLT magazine assumes no liability or Number 4, (ISSN-1545-858), is published monthly by the Society
responsibility for any inaccurate, delayed or incomplete of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers, 840 Busse Hwy,
information. For more information, contact us at [email protected]. Park Ridge, IL 60068-2376.

2 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY
PUBLISHED BY
Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers
“Educating lubrication engineers & tribology researchers since 1944”
STLE International Headquarters
840 Busse Highway, Park Ridge, Illinois 60068-2376
Phone: 847-825-5536 • Fax: 847-825-1456 • www.stle.org • [email protected]

EDITOR COLUMNISTS
Selim Erhan Dr. Edward P. Becker
Process Oils Inc. Dr. Ryan D. Evans
[email protected]
Ken Pelczarski
PUBLISHER/EDITORINCHIEF Edward P. Salek
Dr. Nicholas D. Spencer
Rachel Fowler
[email protected]
Dr. Don Smolenski
Dr. Wilfred T. Tysoe
EDITORIAL COORDINATOR R. David Whitby

Nicole Gleeson
CIRCULATION COORDINATORS
[email protected]
Myrna Scott-Perez
SENIOR FEATURE WRITERS Nadine Sanchez-Colon
Gravity batteries can Jeanna Van Rensselar (847) 825-5536
Dr. Nancy McGuire
store significant amounts ADVERTISING SALES
Tracy Nicholas VanEe
of energy from wind CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Phone: (630) 922-3459
[email protected]
and solar sources. Andrea R. Aikin
Jane Marie Andrew
DESIGN/PRODUCTION
Dr. Neil Canter
Carisa Bendel
See the Automotive Tribology Dan Holdmeyer
Laura Ferrario
Dr. Yulia Sosa
article on page 84.

2023 TECHNICAL EDITORS

Robert Austin Emlyn Eager Dr. Anoop Kumar Dr. Kuldeep Mistry Dr. Raj Shah
QualiChem, Inc. BC Transit Chevron Products Company, a Chevron Products Company, a Koehler Instrument Co.
[email protected] [email protected] division of Chevron U.S.A. Inc. division of Chevron U.S.A. Inc. [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
Dr. Salil Bapat Dr. Leonardo Israel Farfan- Dr. Joichi Sugimura
Purdue University Cabrera David Kupiec David C. Pack Kyushu University
[email protected] Tecnológico de Monterrey TotalEnergies Bisley International, LLC [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
Hernan Bellante David Swanson
LAAPSA Dr. Ann Fenech-Andersen Sean Lantz Dr. Surapol Raadnui Polaris Laboratories
[email protected] Danfoss A/S Chevron Technical Center, a King Mongkut’s University of [email protected]
[email protected] division of Chevron U.S.A. Inc. Technology North Bangkok
Marco Bellini [email protected] (KMUTNB) David Tiffany
Bellini SpA Yutong Gao [email protected] Sapp Bros. Petroleum, Inc.
mbellini@bellini-lubrificanti.it Petro-Canada Lubricants Inc., a Dr. Peter Lee [email protected]
subsidiary of HF Sinclair Corp. Southwest Research Institute Wilhelm Rehbein
Aaron Black [email protected] [email protected] Hitesh K. Trivedi
LANXESS Deutschland GmbH
WearCheck USA [email protected] United States Air Force
[email protected] Dr. Markus Grebe Dipl.-Ing. Josef Leimhofer AFLCMC/LPA
Hochschule Mannheim – AMAG rolling GmbH Dr. Matthias Reihmann [email protected]
Waratchaya Chaipotha University of Applied Sciences [email protected] GELITA AG
PETRONAS International [email protected] [email protected] Randall Tyson
Marketing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. Ke Jian Liang TotalEnergies
[email protected] Dr. Hannes Grillenberger Afton Chemical (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. Dr. Andreas Rosenkranz [email protected]
Schaeffler Technologies AG [email protected] University of Chile
Mauricio Chavez & Co. KG [email protected] Dr. Jianjun Wei
EP Petroecuador hannes.grillenberger@schaeffler.com Dr. Filippo Mangolini LANXESS
[email protected] The University of Texas at Austin Dr. Sougata Roy [email protected]
Gyampo Mintah Gyampoh fi[email protected] University of North Dakota
Stephanie Cole Chemitech Ltd. [email protected] Gary Wood
Münzing North America [email protected] Thomas McClure HF Sinclair
[email protected] DuBois Chemicals Aaron Said Petro-Canada Lubricants
Ajay Kumar Harinarain [email protected] International Lubricant [email protected]
Kevin Duncan Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., Distributors
Cargill Bioindustrial R&D Centre Joshua Mercer [email protected] Dr. Dehua Yang
[email protected] [email protected] Star West Petroleum Ltd. Exponential Business and
[email protected] Technologies Co.
[email protected]

Follow STLE on:

4 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Rainbow grail
Engaging with STLE can help you reach a wide range
of personal and professional goals.

A portion of the Cleveland Browns’ Nick Chubb rainbow

I have collected to this point.

By Dr. Ryan D. Evans unopened pack of cards is called “wax.” I stepped away from the hobby during my
STLE President Some collectors focus on assembling full young adult years to raise my children,
sets of all player cards each year. Others but in 2020, I entered the cards market
I restarted a guilty pleasure during the seek to own every color variation of a again. The hobby had changed quite a bit.
COVID-19 pandemic—collecting sports single player card, the collection of which Prices for cards were much higher than I
cards. It is hard to get solid marketing is referred to as a “rainbow.” That one card remembered. Instead of buying retail wax
numbers on an industry that relies on so you must locate, pursue and then obtain and building complete sets, I decided to col-
many cash transactions, but estimates put at all costs to complete a rainbow is a lect a Nick Chubb rainbow from the 2022
the total sports card collectibles market “grail” card. Panini Prestige football set. Nick Chubb
size between $5-15 billion per year. As with When I was eight years old, I started is my favorite current Browns player, and
any hobby, sports cards collecting has its collecting sports cards. You could buy there are a few dozen color variations of the
own jargon. The community of sports cards wax packs for 35 cents each. My grail was same card in this new set. See the photo for
collectors refers to their fun as “the hobby.” a 1986 Topps football Bernie Kosar rook- a portion of the rainbow that I have collect-
To open a new box or pack of sports cards ie card—the Cleveland Browns American ed to this point.
is to “rip,” and finding an interesting card is football team quarterback. Believe it or not, The grail in my pursuit of my Nick
to “pull” a “hit.” By the way, a new box or the Browns were pretty good back then. Chubb rainbow from that 2022 Prestige set

6 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 is a “black premium” card, of which there buying and selling collectors all over the badly, but I am pursuing certain grails pro-
is only one produced in the world (in hobby world. STLE hosts virtual webinars, STLE fessionally in my day job. STLE is a great fo-
jargon, called a “one-of-one”). Talk about Industry Insights, a new Learning Manage- rum to help me connect the right networks
the thrill of the hunt! A collector can con- ment System (LMS) and even online certifi- and content to obtain those goals. I have a
duct their quest by buying and selling cards cation exams for our community. The hobby doctorate degree, but not an STLE Certified
in online marketplaces like eBay, ripping has an in-person national convention each Lubrication Specialist™ (CLS) certification.
wax or visiting in-person local card shops year, which is called “The National” and is What if I set a goal to obtain that CLS as a
or card shows. eBay is a virtual forum that hosted in Chicago (Rosemont), Ill., in July personal and professional grail, whether
connects buyers and sellers for a fee. Wax 2023. STLE hosts an in-person Annual my employer requires it or not? Reaching
can be bought at retail stores, but the odds Meeting each spring, which will be held in the STLE presidency was a professional
of getting what you want are astronomical- Long Beach, Calif., May 21-25. The hobby grail, but that is not the end of my quest
ly poor. Card shops and shows add a human has local card shows in rented venues in as a volunteer. Membership in STLE offers
element, where perhaps a seller might not each town across the country throughout many rainbow variations of educational
have the grail you are seeking but can point the year where dealers and collectors can content, networking and advertising oppor-
you to someone else who may have it. trade. STLE has local sections organized by tunities, publication venues, certifications
What does any of this have to do with geographical proximity across the country and business relationships. Best of luck
tribology and lubrication engineering? I for members to gather and network. The in chasing your own professional rainbow
would argue that there are similarities be- hobby has buyers and sellers, and STLE grails, and please engage STLE to help you
tween the hobby and STLE. The hobby has also has buyers (researchers, customers, along the way!
its own jargon, and so do STLE members. end-users, education candidates) and sell-
One might hear specialist references to ers (corporate members, education and Dr. Ryan Evans is director of R&D at The
viscosity index, elastohydrodynamic lubri- content providers). Timken Co. in North Canton, Ohio. You can
cation, Hertz contact stresses, VOCs and I encourage you to intentionally define reach him at [email protected].
pour points at STLE meetings. The hobby your professional rainbow grail. I want that
hosts virtual platforms for connecting one-of-one black premium Nick Chubb card

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(VWHUH[6SHFWUD6\Q6SHFWUD6\Q3OXVDQG6\QHVVWLFDUHWUDGHPDUNVRI([[RQ0RELO&RUSRUDWLRQ
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WWW.STLE.ORG TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY APRIL 2023 • 7

FROM THE EDITOR

Exciting place to be
I would urge everyone to be diligent, creative
and ingenious and see the bigger picture.

By Dr. Selim Erhan

TLT Editor

If we think about it, every day in our lives we It is not easy to be inventive from a com- the death toll could rise much higher than
are in an exciting place in history. Every day fortable position. We have to accept that the first estimated numbers, which are over
brings possibilities to do something new or most people who actually can do something 40,000. There were detailed reports on the
to look at something from a different per- about these issues today are in very com- locations of three different fault lines. All
spective. As the world climate is changing— fortable positions. Unfortunately, in most the 10 cities on the fault lines were warned.
and there is significant data on increasing cases, it becomes too late to do something There were accurate predictions of the
carbon dioxide levels contributing to global when the situation becomes uncomfortable. magnitude of coming earthquakes.
warming—sustainability and using renew- Although we do not have the technology
able resources are becoming urgent topics. Every day brings possibilities to know in advance when an earthquake is
We have sun and wind energy all around to do something new or going to happen, we know where it is going
us. They keep blowing away as we watch. to look at something from a to happen. Examples from past earthquakes
We may be running out of certain metals or were in plain sight. Countries that had taken
minerals; we are definitely running out of
different perspective. precautions and built accordingly, such as
fresh water. Garbage is piling up and chem- A good example for knowing and see- in Japan and Chile, survived earthquakes
icals are leaking that are becoming toxic to ing, but not doing anything, is in the mind- with minimum damage and loss of a few
the water and soil we depend on to grow boggling devastation we saw in the recent lives. On paper, Turkish building standards
our food. It is not only global warming but earthquakes in Turkey. I grew up in Turkey, are among the best in the world, and they
toxicity, endangered food sources, stress, so I feel I can talk about it openly. Thou- are regularly updated. Yet some contrac-
unhealthy and unnatural living styles—and sands of buildings collapsed at 4 a.m. Each tors kept stealing from the reinforcing steel,
the list goes on. These are not new topics, building probably had about 50 people. If from the cement. The government turned a
but the pressure is steadily increasing, and 10 died, which is a conservative number, blind eye to poor construction. They even
it urges us to think about what we can do. pardoned constructions that did not pass

8 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 inspection. To add insult to injury, they
boasted in public speeches that they par-
doned these buildings, and people clapped
because they were associating with the
Party and felt solidarity with the govern-
ment. No one did anything until it all came
down on their heads and on the heads of
their children. Now it is too late.
The Gulf Stream is a river inside the
Atlantic Ocean. Seems like a miracle that it
does not mix, but what if the temperature
conditions change and that stream blends
into the surrounding waters? Northern Eu-
rope is almost at the same latitude as the
Hudson Bay, which is mostly frozen. What
if all the methane trapped in the tundra
starts getting released? Russia has 11 time
zones compared to four in the U.S. You can
imagine the amount of methane escaping
from Siberia if this happens. Methane is a
much more powerful greenhouse gas com-
pared to carbon dioxide. There is mercury
in the fish we are eating. Water sources
are contaminated, and officials say it is too
expensive to fix them! Some cities fix pipes
made from lead in a few months, and some
drag it on for years. A simple 150-yard
stretch of road took almost two years to
complete in my neighborhood. Houses in
tornado zones still don’t have basements.
Corruption, indifference and infinite greed
erode all safety mechanisms around us and
our families. We need to be watchful and
do something today. Because at the end,
when whatever comes crashing down, it
will crash down on us and our children. It
will be too late to realize we were not that
safe after all! I would urge all of us who are
highly trained and very good at what we do
to be diligent, creative and ingenious and
see the much bigger picture before we are
in deeper trouble.

Dr. Selim Erhan is director of business

development for Process Oils Inc. in
Trout Valley, Ill. You can reach him at
[email protected].

WWW.STLE.ORG TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY APRIL 2023 • 9

HEADQUARTERS REPORT

Tribology needs talent!

STLE’s student support programs
will be getting a boost.

By Edward P. Salek, CAE be honored at the STLE Annual Meeting & than there are funds available. For exam-
Executive Director Exhibition, May 21-25, in Long Beach, Calif. ple, this year there were a total of 32 appli-
Selection is based on grade point average cants for the three awards but only enough
Attracting new talent to the world of tribol- (GPA) or equivalent, letter of recommen- budget to provide funding for four scholars.
ogy is one of the top concerns facing STLE dation from a faculty advisor, relevance of To address the added demand, the
companies and organizations. the research to tribology and quality of the board has created the Scholarship and In-
That’s according to the most recent proposed research experience. vestments for the Future Fund (SIFF). It is
STLE Member Needs Assessment, which The next application period for STLE managed by the STLE Scholarship Commit-
was conducted late last year. Lack of aware- Presidential Awards opens Sept. 1. Dead- tee, which includes, among its purposes,
ness of the field also was seen as a prob- line for submissions is Dec. 1. Awards will fundraising efforts that will allow STLE to
lem, especially in comparison to alternative be presented at the 2024 STLE Annual expand the existing scholarship programs.
technical career paths in other industries. Meeting in Minneapolis, Minn. Go to www. Another goal will be to support STEM ed-
While there are no simple or fast ways stle.org for more details. ucation, student mentoring and co-op and
to correct the situation, STLE’s leadership student internship programs, and give
earlier this year took two significant steps Attracting new talent financial support to students in technical
toward addressing this problem. to the world of tribology is and vocational schools.
The first step will be recognition of the one of the top concerns Plans call for details of the SIFF initia-
latest young scholars to receive financial tive to be rolled out during the 2023 STLE
support through the STLE Presidential
facing STLE companies and
Annual Meeting. Additional information
Awards Program. These awards are admin- organizations. campaigns will follow. Members interest-
istered by the STLE Presidential Council, ed in making a donation to the scholarship
Since the STLE Presidential Awards
which is comprised of former STLE pres- program prior to that time can visit the
Program was established in 1980, it has
idents. The goal is to encourage students donation webpage at www.stle.org/files/
assisted more than 200 students with funds
to pursue an advanced degree or a career DonateNow.aspx.
totaling nearly $500,000 over the past 43
in tribology or lubrication engineering by
years. That total doubles to the $1 million
subsidizing a research project related to
range when scholarships and grants pre-
the field. You can reach Certified Association
sented by STLE Local Sections are taken
STLE grants three academic awards Executive Ed Salek at [email protected].
into consideration. In addition, STLE also
through its program: the E. Richard Booser
funds an Early Career Awards Program that 1. Richard Booser was STLE’s 1956 president.
Scholarship (for undergraduate students),
recognizes the technical achievements of Elmer Klaus was a Penn State University
the Elmer E. Klaus Fellowship (for graduate professor deeply involved in STLE student
STLE student members, young researchers
students) and the Jeanie S. McCoy Scholar- programs. Jeanie S. McCoy was one of
and junior-level academic faculty by provid-
ship (for female students).1 STLE’s first female members and the
ing financial support for attendance to the
The three awards combined represent long-time editor of Lubrication Engineering
STLE Annual Meeting. magazine (predecessor to TLT).
an annual investment of $20,000 in stu-
The second action by the STLE Board of
dents who are doing research work relat-
Directors relates to the fact that there are
ed to tribology. The 2023 recipients will
more superior students seeking support

10 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

TECH BEAT

A molecule motor driven by electricity

Unidirectional motion was accomplished after

researchers modified the catenane structure.
By Dr. Neil Canter
Contributing Editor

HIGHLIGHTS
A [3] catenane was synthesized that
produces unidirectional motion in an
electrochemical cell without generating
any waste.

The unidirectional motion is achieved

through a series of oxidation and
reduction reactions.

Synthesis of the [3] catenane is a relatively

easy process.

Figure 1. A [3] catenane that is approximately A good deal of attention is being paid to that can move on the molecular level.
two nanometers wide is able to demonstrate the development of battery electric vehi- A previous TLT article1 documents efforts
unidirectional motion through the movement of cles that are powered by motors on the made to produce a motorized nanocar.
two CBPQT4+ rings that encircle a larger loop.
macroscopic scale. The automotive indus- A multiple-stage synthesis process was
Figure courtesy of Northwestern University.
try is working extensively to transition to required to synthesize the molecules in-
this technology from internal combustion- corporated into nanocars that are 3-by-4
powered engines. nanometers in size. Among the key compo-
Concurrently, research has been under- nents were alkynyl groups used as axles that
way for some time to develop molecules can spin freely at room temperature and

12 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 fullerene wheels that permit smooth rota-
tion of the molecular wheel. Molecular mo-
tion was induced through the use of a solar
engine or by using a scanning tunneling
microscopy (STM) tip.
Dr. Long Zhang, postdoctoral fellow
in the department of chemistry at North-
western University in Evanston, Ill., says,
“Efforts have been made to develop mo-
lecular motors that can demonstrate uni- Past efforts to demonstrate molecular motion include the synthesis of a motorized nanocar that is
directional motion on a molecular scale. shown traveling across a gold surface. Photo courtesy of Rice University.
Candidates have been reported as single-
molecule electric motors. The problem is [3] catenane spectroscopy, that 85% of the molecular
that a STM tip is required to move these Unidirectional motion was achieved through motors completed a 180-degree unidirec-
molecular motors. Other approaches for the introduction of a second CBPQT4+ ring to tional cycle.”
inducing movement include extreme condi- form a [3] catenane that is approximately The unidirectional motion was conduct-
tions such as the use of ultrahigh vacuum.” two nanometers wide (see Figure 1). This ed in an electrochemical cell that switched
molecular motor consists of two CBPQT4+ between -0.5 Volts and +0.7 Volts. Zhang
By application of an rings that encircle the loop. says, “No byproducts are generated when
oscillating voltage, the two By application of an oscillating voltage, the process uses an electrochemical cell,
CBPQT4+ rings traverse the two CBPQT4+ rings traverse the circular which makes operation of the motor sus-
loop through a series of oxidation and re- tainable. Movement of the two CBPQT4+
the circular loop through a duction reactions. Zhang says, “When the rings during oxidation and reduction takes
series of oxidation and [3] catenane is in an oxidized state, the two a total of 20 minutes. If chemical reagents
reduction reactions. CBPQT4+ rings are in the 3 and 9 o’clock po- such as zinc (for reduction) and iminooxida-
sitions on the loop. They are both positively nium (for oxidation) are used, the operation
In an effort to find an alternative ap-
charged, which leads to their separation can take a few seconds, but the tradeoff is it
proach, Zhang and his colleagues, includ-
by Coulombic repulsion. Introduction of six will generate waste.”
ing Nobel Laureate Sir Fraser Stoddart,
electrons in a reduction reaction facilitates Zhang indicates that the synthesis of the
professor in the department of chemistry at
the movement of the two CBPQT4+ rings to [3] catenane only requires four steps based
Northwestern University, decided to focus
the 6 and 12 o’clock positions, respectively. on previously described protocols. He says,
on designing a molecular motor based on a
Oxidation then removes the six electrons “This relatively easy process means that
catenane that can be powered by electricity
enabling the two CBPQT4+ rings to move the molecular motor can be produced in
while in solution. If the right type of electro-
again back to the 3 and 9 o’clock positions large quantities.”
chemistry is utilized, such an environment
on the loop.” Future work will involve modification of
should facilitate unidirectional movement.
one of the rings through the introduction of a
Zhang says, “Catenanes consist of two or The unidirectional motion heteroatom such as sulfur. Zhang says, “This
more intertwined rings that cannot be sep- was conducted in an modification may allow for the [3] catenane
arated without breaking covalent bonds.”
electrochemical cell that to become attached to an electrode such as
Initial work focused on producing a [2]
catenane where one cyclobis (paraquat-
switched between gold and through motion, influence the sur-
-0.5 Volts and +0.7 Volts. face and ultimately do some useful work.”
p-phenylene) (CBPQT 4+ ) ring encir-
Additional information on the molecu-
cles a larger loop that contains a bis(4-
During this redox cycle, the two lar motor can be found in a recent article2
methylenephenyl) methane (BPM) unit.
CBPQT4+ rings completed a 180-degree po- or by contacting Zhang at long.zhang@
When placed in solution under an ex-
sitional exchange. northwestern.edu.
ternal voltage, the [2] catenane did not
The researchers then decided to deu-
show a directional motion. Instead, the 1. Canter, N. (2006), “Developing a motorized
terate one of the CBPQT4+ rings in order to
CBPQT ring switches between the BPM unit nanocar,” TLT, 62 (8), pp. 10-11.
confirm spectroscopically that unidirec-
and a second component in the loop known 2. Zhang, L., Qiu, Y., Liu, W., Chen, H., Shen, D.,
tional motion had indeed occurred. Zhang
as a viologen (V). Song, B. Cai, K., Wu, H., Jiao, Y., Feng, Y.,
says, “We had evidence of motion, but it was
Unidirectional motion powered by Seale, J., Pezzato, C., Tian, J., Tan, Y., Chen,
difficult to confirm because both CBPQT4+ X., Guo, Q., Stern, C., Philp, D., Astumian, R.,
electricity was accomplished after the re-
rings are chemically identical. By introduc- Goddard, W. and Stoddart, J. (2023), “An
searchers modified the catenane structure.
ing deuterium atoms in place of hydrogen electric molecular motor,” Nature, 613
atoms in one of the rings, we were able to (7943), pp. 280-286.
show, using 1H nuclear magnetic resonance

WWW.STLE.ORG TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY APRIL 2023 • 13

 TECH BEAT

Sustainable conversion of asphaltenes to graphene

Flash joule heating of asphaltene with conductive
carbon black produced asphaltene-derived flash
graphene at a high yield.

Figure 2. A summary of the alternative approach for using asphaltenes to produce graphene and the potential applications for the asphaltene-derived
flash graphene composite is shown. Figure courtesy of Rice University.

In evaluating a process for sustainability, carbon (70%-80%), contain a high aromatic

HIGHLIGHTS the objective is to figure out how to identi- content which imparts stability and also in-
fy useful applications for not just the main clude heteroatoms and carbon-carbon dou-
A process has been developed to
product(s) but also byproducts that may ble bonds. The latter are reactive under the
convert asphaltenes, a byproduct of
form. A prominent example is the refining right processing conditions.”
petroleum refining, to graphene
of crude oil. Fractional distillation facilitates Attempts have been made to convert
using flash joule heating.
the preparation of a range of useful product asphaltenes to graphite, carbon fibers,
To show the utility of the asphaltene- streams ranging from high viscosity fuel oil porous carbon foam/scaffolds and carbon
derived graphene, this material to low viscosity materials such as butane. nanosheets. But none have been done in a
was combined with carbon black to But refining also generates a significant sustainable manner.
produce an asphaltene-derived flash number of byproducts. One of these mate- Flash joule heating is a newly developed
graphene composite, which shows rials is asphaltenes, which consist of heavy process that is able to recycle electron-
potential as a coating that protects macromolecules. There are approximately ic waste, extract heavy metals and leave
metal against corrosion. one to two trillion barrels of asphaltenes a residue that is clean enough for use in
held in reserve globally. The problem in agricultural applications. In a previous TLT
A life cycle assessment showed that the working with asphaltenes is poor ignitabil- article,1 this process is described as the
use of asphaltenes in preparing graphene ity, reactivity and biodegradability. rapid heating of ground-up electronic waste
reduces its carbon footprint compared to Muhammad Rahman, assistant re- mixed with approximately 30% carbon black
the existing use of asphaltenes as a fuel. search professor of materials science in a quartz tube squeezed between a porous
and nanoengineering at Rice University in copper electrode and a graphite electrode.
Houston, Texas, says, “Asphaltenes have Current from a high voltage discharge
the potential to be converted into high of a capacitor bank connected to the two
value added products because of several electrodes increases the temperature of the
attractive characteristics. They are rich in mixture by approximately 3,400 K in less

14 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 than 50 milliseconds. Metal present in the The researchers then decided to pro- A life cycle assessment (LCA) analysis
electronic waste is vaporized while carbon duce 3D plastic parts with the AFG nano- was done to determine the environmental
containing materials are carbonized. The composite by using one of the additive impact of the AFG synthesis. The research-
energy requirement for flash joule heating manufacturing techniques, direct ink writ- ers conducted a gate-to-gate analysis and
is found to be much less than other tech- ing. Addition of a common thixotropic agent, compared it to the existing use of asphal-
niques for pyrometallurgical recycling. fumed silica, was needed to develop an ink tene as a fuel. M.A.S.R. Saadi, graduate
that could be processed using this method. student at Rice University, says, “We eval-
Flash joule heating is a newly Complex architectures such as honeycomb uated two electricity generating scenari-
developed process that structures were then produced. os, natural gas and hydropower based,
The thermal properties of the AFG nano- and found that AFG synthesis leads to a
is able to recycle electronic
composite were compared to the epoxy lower carbon footprint for both. For hydro-
waste, extract heavy metals polymer resin using a thermal infrared cam- power, the reduction in carbon footprint
and leave a residue that era. Rahman says, “We heated the samples is significant.”
is clean enough for use in using a laser source, then employed the A summary showing this new approach
agricultural applications. thermal infrared camera to determine the for producing graphene from asphaltene
peak temperature and then calculated the and highlights of the testing done by the
Rahman and his colleagues determined heat transfer rate. The AFG nanocompos- researchers is shown in Figure 2.
that subjecting asphaltenes to flash joule ite exhibited superior performance, which Rahman says, “We intend to evaluate the
heating may prove to be an efficient way means it has better thermal properties.” AFG nanocomposite for corrosion resistance
to sustainably produce graphene, which is
under evaluation for many different appli-
cations including as a lubricant.

Asphaltene-derived flash graphene

Following the flash joule heating pro-
cedure, the researchers combined as-
phaltenes with conductive carbon black (at
a minimum of 20% by weight) and produced
asphaltene-derived flash graphene (AFG)
at a process yield of approximately 45% and
an AFG yield above 95%. The product was
characterized by Raman spectroscopy and
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.
Reactive force-field molecular dynam-
ics simulation was used to determine the
mechanism of the process. The conductive A byproduct of crude oil refining, asphaltenes, consist of heavy macromolecules. The problem in
carbon black molecules that consist of poly- working with asphaltenes is poor ignitability, reactivity and biodegradability.
crystalline carbon act as a nucleating agent
to stabilize the growth of AFG molecules Corrosion resistance was evaluated by in applications such as oil and gas where
around them. applying a thin layer of the AFG nanocom- piping will be coated and evaluated under
The simulation found that several gases posite coating to a mild steel (the loading real-world operating conditions.”
were generated during flash joule heating. of the AFG in the coating was 10%). After Additional information on this research
Rahman says, “Carbon monoxide and hy- exposure to a 3.5% sodium chloride solu- can be found in a recent article2 or by con-
drogen gas were determined to be present tion for six hours, extensive corrosion was tacting Rahman at [email protected].
in the product mixture by the simulation.” seen on the bare mild steel, and some rust
To demonstrate the performance of was observed with the epoxy resin. The AFG
AFG, this material was evaluated as a rein- nanocomposite only showed slight blemish-
forcement in nanocomposites using epoxy es under the same conditions.
resin as the matrix phase. An increase in
the mechanical properties of the nanocom- 1. Canter, N. (2022), “Electronic waste recycling using new thermal technique,” TLT, 78 (2), pp. 14-15.
posite was realized due to the improve- Available at www.stle.org/files/TLTArchives/2022/02_February/Tech_Beat_II.aspx.
ment of interfacial adhesion created by the 2. Saadi, M.A.S.R., Advincula, P., Thakur, S., Khater, A., Saad, S., Zeraati, A., Nabil, S., Zinke, A., Roy, S.,
increased surface area of the AFG. Lou, M., Bheemasetti, S., Bari, A., Zheng, Y., Beckham, J., Gadhamshetty, V., Vashisth, A., Kibria, G.,
Tour, J., Ajayan, P. and Rahman, M. (2022), “Sustainable valorization of asphaltenes via flash joule
heating,” Science Advances, 8 (46), DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add3555.

WWW.STLE.ORG TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY APRIL 2023 • 15

 TECH BEAT

Microtubular flow battery

This battery using submillimeter bundled micro-
tubular membranes can demonstrate high
average charge and discharge power densities.

HIGHLIGHTS
The volumetric power density of a redox
flow battery was increased through the
development of a submillimeter bundled
microtubular membrane (SBMT).

By using a zinc iodide redox, the

volumetric power density for the SBMT
was determined to be 10 times higher than
a conventional planar flow battery cell.

The durability of the SBMT was found to

be good with battery cycling for more than
220 hours, and the SBMT design can be
scaled up for use commercially.

Figure 3. A microtubular flow battery has

been produced that exhibits the most
space-efficient configuration with approx-
imately 10,000 square meters of surface
area per cubic meter of module. Figure
courtesy of Georgia Tech.

The vulnerability in utilizing renewable the battery. The key to the performance says, “The planar configuration for redox
energy sources such as solar and wind as of the iron complexes is their size, which flow batteries, which has been in use for
the main power generation sources is their minimizes crossover to the anolyte tank sit- many years, is hindered by an inferior vol-
lack of reliability because the sun does not uated by the battery’s anode. By tuning the umetric power density. Bipolar plates and
always shine, and the wind is not always oxidation voltage of the iron (II) complexes, other inactive components are the source
present. As a result, attention is being paid the researchers were able to improve the of this issue because they occupy much of
to the development of energy storage devic- energy density of the catholyte. the volume of the redox flow battery cell.”
es that can be employed when renewable Current redox flow batteries consist of Attempts to optimize the planar config-
power generation is not possible. two large tanks containing the catholyte, uration through preparation of individual
Redox flow batteries have been devel- anolyte and a membrane positioned be- battery cells at the centimeter and milli-
oped to act as energy reservoirs. In a previous tween them. The planar ion-exchange mem- meter scale showed promise in improving
TLT article,1 new water soluble catholytes brane is part of the battery’s power module the volumetric power density but proved to
were developed based on sodium and po- and also includes bipolar plates, gaskets be unsuccessful.
tassium salts of iron (II) complexes of iron and frames. Liu found an alternative option based on
(II) complexes of bipyridine dicarboxylic Nian Liu, assistant professor in the the use of submillimeter bundled microtu-
acid and dicyanide. Catholytes are electro- School of Chemical and Bimolecular En- bular membranes (SBMT). He says, “SBMT
lytes situated in a tank by the cathode of gineering at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Ga., have been used successfully in the chemical

16 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 separation industry. The reason for SBMT’s
potential is this configuration is much more
efficient from a spatial standpoint. A SBMT
exhibits a surface area of 10,000 square me-
ters per a cubic module, which is an order of
magnitude higher than conventional planar
membranes used in flow batteries.”
A SBMT contains a fiber-shaped mem-
brane that is known as a hollow fiber. This
design saves space and is a configuration
that can be scaled up for use commercially.
Liu and his colleagues have now developed
a flow battery using SBMT that can demon-
strate higher average charge and discharge
power densities than conventional planar
flow batteries.

Attention is being paid to

the development of
energy storage devices that
can be employed when
renewable power generation The researchers intend to carry out more research using vanadium as the electrolyte, with practices
is not possible. to protect its oxidation by air. Initial experimentation shows that vanadium can be used and will
cycle in a similar manner to the zinc iodide redox system.
Zinc iodide redox system
The researchers prepared a SMBT (see Another advantage of using zinc iodide use commercially. Currently we have linked
Figure 3) using a zinc iodide redox system. chemistry is the high energy density due to 16 tubular membranes together, but our
Liu says, “Initially, we considered working the high concentration of electrolyte in the goal is to have systems with hundreds of
with vanadium, which is the main type of flow battery. Liu explains, “The energy den- tubular membranes. Our objective is to val-
electrolyte used in redox flow batteries. sity of zinc iodide is higher than vanadium. idate this idea on a larger scale.”
But low-oxidation-state vanadium is not A combination of the SBMT cell stack with Additional information can be found
stable under ambient conditions. A zinc io- zinc iodide chemistry will make both the cell in a recent article2 or by contacting Liu at
dide redox was used instead where during stack and the electrolyte tank compact.” [email protected].
charging, iodide is oxidized to triiodide at Durability of the SBMT was found to be
the cathode, and zinc ions are reduced to good with the battery cycling for more than
zinc metal at the anode.” 220 hours, which corresponds to more than 1. Canter, N. (2021), “Water soluble organic
Peak charge and discharge power den- 2,500 cycles at off-peak conditions. Elec- catholyte for use in redox flow batteries,”
TLT, 77 (12) pp. 16-17. Available at www.stle.
sities of 1,322 and 306.1 watts per volume trochemical impedance spectroscopy was org/files/TLTArchives/2021/12_December/
of battery cell, respectively, were realized. conducted to determine how the resistance Tech_Beat_II.aspx.
A conventional planar flow battery cell typ- between the two electrodes compares for 2. Wu, Y., Zhang, F., Wang, T., Huang, P.,
ically displays charge and discharge power the SBMT and conventional H-shaped elec- Filippas, A., Yang, H., Huang, Y., Wang, C., Liu,
densities of less than 60 and 45 watts per trolytic cells. Liu says, “Impedance is much H., Xie, X., Lively, R. and Liu, N. (2023), “A
volume of battery cell, respectively. This lower for the SBMT because of the close submillimeter bundled microtubular flow
means that the volumetric power density battery cell with ultrahigh volumetric power
packing of the cell and the smaller distance
density,” Processing of the National Academy
for the SBMT is 10 times higher. between the two electrodes.” of Science, 120 (2), e2213528120.
The researchers indicate that the SBMT The researchers intend to carry out
membranes are the most space-efficient more research using vanadium as the elec-
configuration that provide approximately trolyte, with practices to protect its oxidation
10,000 square meters of surface area per Neil Canter heads his own consulting
by air. Initial experimentation shows that va-
cubic meter of module. Transmembrane company, Chemical Solutions, in
nadium can be used and will cycle in a simi-
pressure is maintained without the need for Willow Grove, Pa. Ideas for Tech Beat
lar manner to the zinc iodide redox system.
supporting components, which saves space can be submitted to him at neilcanter@
Liu says, “We also intend to demon-
and improves efficiency. comcast.net.
strate that the SBMT can be scaled up for

WWW.STLE.ORG TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY APRIL 2023 • 17

20 MINUTES WITH…

Manel Rodríguez Ripoll

This area manager for AC2T research GmbH discusses
self-lubricating materials and alloys.

By Rachel Fowler
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

TLT: How did you start working in a main education in physics and materi-
tribology? als science, it was a bit challenging at the
beginning. I can still clearly remember
Rodríguez Ripoll: During my under-
having, for a few months, on my bed-
graduate studies in physics in Barcelona,
side table the blue third edition of the
there were no courses offered on tribolo-
“Engineering Tribology” book by professor
gy. Probably my first unaware contact with
Gwidon Stachowiak.
tribology was 19 years ago while doing my
doctoral work on the wire drawing pro- TLT: Why do you think tribology is
cess of tungsten wires at the Fraunhofer so fascinating?
Institute for Mechanics of Materials in
Germany. The initial wire drawing steps of Rodríguez Ripoll: After finishing the
tungsten wires are performed at high tem- postdoc position in Slovenia, I joined AC2T
peratures, close to 1,000 C, and involve the research GmbH, the Austrian Excellence
Manel Rodríguez Ripoll use of graphite as lubricant to mitigate the Center for Tribology, where I have been
contact conditions at the interface between working for 12 years. As the center is ful-
The Quick File: the wire and the drawing die. However, at ly devoted to research in tribology, I have
Manel Rodríguez Ripoll that time, I was focused on microstructure the chance to work on a large diversity of
evolution and crack propagation on the projects, ranging from tribology of forming
STLE member Dr. Manel Rodríguez Ripoll
wire itself so that friction or die wear were processes to the tribocorrosion of medical
leads the research area “Wear Reduction
not within the scope of my research. implants, and this is the most fascinating
Strategies” at AC2T research GmbH, the
part of tribology: its enormous diversity.
Austrian Excellence Center for Tribology.
This is the most fascinating This interdisciplinarity also is challenging
His main research focuses on surface en-
gineering for reducing wear in extreme part of tribology: for doing research and development in tri-
its enormous diversity. bology, as it requires a strong background
environments. Current topics of research
in different disciplines ranging from chem-
are the design of self-lubricating materials After finishing my doctoral degree, I istry, physics, materials science, medicine
for high temperature and vacuum, surface joined a postdoc position as Marie Curie or, with the current trend of electrification,
protection in tribocorrosive environments Fellow at the Laboratory for Tribology even electrical engineering. As mastering
for oil and gas, offshore and biomedical ap- and Interface Nanotechnology (L-TINT) simultaneously all these disciplines is a
plications and the tribochemical formation of the University of Ljubljana in Slove- privilege of very few, you often rely on col-
of 2D solid lubricants. nia. My work was set in the framework laboration with scientists from completely
Rodríguez Ripoll graduated in physics of a large project funded by the Europe- different disciplines, such as medical doc-
from the Universitat Autònoma de Barce- an Commission that was led by my cur- tors, making your daily work passionate.
lona, Spain, and holds a doctoral degree in rent employer, AC2T research GmbH, in In my role as leader of the research area
mechanical engineering from the Karlsruhe collaboration with many renowned insti- “Wear Reduction Strategies,” I am mostly
Institute of Technology, Germany. He has tutions in tribology such as the Imperial dealing with projects related to materials
published over 80 peer-reviewed articles College London, Cardiff University, Mines tribology, but I have the daily pleasure of
(h=28),1 one book, one book chapter and ParisTech in France, TU Wien in Austria collaborating with experts in lubricants
three patents. He has worked as guest and the SKF Research and Development and with colleagues like Dr. Stefan Eder,
lecturer at several universities and serves Centre in the Netherlands, to name a few. working with cutting edge simulations
as evaluator of project proposals for the It was at that time where I first became tools such as molecular dynamics.
European Commission. involved with wear, lubricated contacts
and lubricant-surface interactions. Having

18 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 TLT: What is a self-lubricating material,
and what is it used for?
Rodríguez Ripoll: One of my major top-
ics of research of the last six years has been
on the development of self-lubricating
materials. Self-lubricating materials are
a broad class of compounds featuring Another application for self-lubricating materials is in space applications.
the incorporation of one or more solid
lubricants with the aim to decrease fric-
tion and wear during sliding contact. The Al-Si mixture, making this coating prone protecting against wear and corrosion in
solid lubricants can be deposited as a to adhesion. This results in buildup of industrial applications ranging from metal
coating, as the well-known examples of material on the tool with the subsequent forming tools to aircraft turbine compo-
molybdenum disulfide or diamond-like loss of tolerance in the formed pieces.2 nents. Particularly relevant nowadays is
carbon, but can alternatively be embed- Another application for self-lubricating that laser deposition processes are addi-
ded in a polymer or a metal matrix. In our materials is in space applications. Now- tive manufacturing techniques that offer a
research, we are focused on embedding adays the use of molybdenum disulfide great flexibility and efficiency compared to
solid lubricants in metal matrices for the coatings is widely spread to reduce fric- traditional subtractive manufacturing pro-
development of self-lubricating metallic tion in sliding contacts, but we believe cesses. This ensures that our developed
alloys. To this end, we use wear-resistant that our developed wear-resistant self- self-lubricating metallic alloys are print-
iron, and nickel-based alloys as one of our lubricating nickel-based alloy-containing able. Additionally, laser metal deposition
major goals is the use of self-lubricating silver pockets embedded in metal sul- can be suitably combined for surface func-
alloys as forming tools. fides could be an option in machine el- tionalization of components manufactured
ements operating in vacuum conditions. using other additive manufacturing tech-
Self-lubricating materials Our experiments showed that the self- niques able to produce extreme complex
lubricating alloy was able to achieve a shapes, such as those relying on powder
are a broad class of
stable coefficient of friction around 0.25, bed fusion methods.
compounds featuring the while simultaneously having negligible
incorporation of one or wear and imparting a 20th-fold lower
more solid lubricants with transfer of materials to the counterbody.3
the aim to decrease These experiments were performed
friction and wear during under very severe contact conditions
characterized by metal-to-metal contact
sliding contact.
against martensitic stainless steel in vacu-
The main driving force behind the um at 300 C using pressures of over 1 GPa.
development of self-lubricating materials
was initially the need of reducing and con- TLT: How can self-lubricating materials
trolling friction in applications for which be processed?
conventional oils and greases were inef-
Rodríguez Ripoll: Self-lubricating ma- Deposition of a self-lubricating alloy using a 10
fective such as under high temperatures
terials can be processed using several kW high-power direct diode laser mounted on a
over 300 C or in vacuum applications. For
techniques such as sintering or deposited six-axis manipulation robot. From left to right:
instance, we showed that self-lubricating
as coatings. The coatings can be divided Manel Rodríguez Ripoll and Kurt Pichelbauer.
materials could be beneficial in high tem- Photo courtesy of AC2T.
into thin films with thickness in the micron-
perature forming processes that currently
range and typically deposited using phys-
run unlubricated such as the forming of TLT: Could it be possible, in the near
ical (PVD) and chemical vapor deposition
ultra-high strength steel (UHSS) for au- future, to have lubricant-free factories
techniques (CVD), and thicker coatings
tomotive applications. This UHSS is typi- for forming nonferrous alloys?
with thickness in the millimeter range de-
cally featured with an Al-Si dip coating in
posited by thermal spray or laser deposi- Rodríguez Ripoll: While our vision is to
order to mitigate oxidation during heating
tion processes. In our work we focus on eliminate the use of lubricants in forming
and forming. However, Al-Si-based coat-
laser deposition processes such as laser and machining processes, the goal is still
ings are known to have poor tribological
metal deposition or direct energy depo- too far to be reached in many applications,
behavior at high temperatures, due to
sition. Laser deposition processes can be particularly in forming of non-ferreous al-
the formation of Al-Fe intermetallics by
used for the deposition, refurbish or repair loys such as aluminum due to the severi-
diffusion from the steel substrate at tem-
of functional layers with tailored mechan- ty of the contact conditions and the high
peratures above the melting point of the
ical and chemical properties capable of

WWW.STLE.ORG TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY APRIL 2023 • 19

 20 MINUTES WITH…

metals focused on iron and nickel-based deposition processes. The reason is that
alloys, which have an excellent wear resis- titanium is particularly prone to form in-
tance and can be readily applied in forming termetallic compounds or solid solution
and machining processes. In our research, when adding soft metals with low shear
nickel-based alloys have shown, so far, a such as silver, thus preventing them from
more promising tribological behavior in a unleashing their lubricious potential. In the
temperature range covering up to 600 C. case of transition metal dichalcogenides
However, the development of iron-based such as MoS2, the high affinity of titanium
alloys with a similar or even better tribolog- to sulfur results in the decomposition of
ical behavior would be of great advantage, the solid lubricant compound and the for-
as iron is a non-critical raw material, en- mation of titanium sulfides. We have done
vironmentally compatible and affordable. some initial attempts that resulted in the
But what I personally think would be development of a self-lubricating Ti6Al4V
Visual inspection of a printed self-lubricating
coating on an additive manufactured compo-
a great breakthrough would be the devel- alloy containing bismuth as solid lubricant
nent. Photo courtesy of AC2T. opment of self-lubricating titanium alloys. that is able to outperform Ti6Al4V in terms
Despite the enormous advantages of titani- of friction by almost 50% in unlubricated
affinity of aluminum for adhering to tool um alloys, such as high strength-to-weight self-mating titanium contacts at 600 C (see
steels that results in adhesive wear and ratios, excellent corrosion resistance and Figure 1).4 Still the resulting coefficient of
galling. However, we can set some inter- good biocompatibility, their applicability friction is probably too high for most rel-
mediate and achievable milestones. A in components and machine elements is evant applications, so that there is plenty
straightforward possibility is the use of severely limited by their poor tribological of room for improvement on the way to
self-lubricating forming tools for allow- behavior. Unfortunately, the major chal- having machine elements such as bearings
ing minimum quantity lubrication in some lenge when incorporating solid lubricants made of self-lubricating titanium alloys.
applications, thus reducing the lubricant- into titanium alloys is to maintain the lu-
related costs in forming and machining bricious phase or compound intact after You can reach Manel Rodríguez Ripoll at
operations. Another possibility where we processing, particularly when using laser [email protected].
are currently working is, in those cases
where the use of lubricants is unavoidable
such as during aluminum forming, exploit
the use of self-lubricating materials for en-
abling the use of greener lubricants. In the
Ti6Al4V
past, some green lubricants such as long
chain alcohols were unsuccessfully envis-
aged for being used in the cold forging of Ni-Bi
aluminum alloys. However, this reasoning
implicitly assumes that the tool needs to
remain made of martensitic tool steel. In
our work, we try to move away from this
thinking and focus on the development of Figure 1. Microstructure of a self-lubricating Ni-Bi-Ti6Al4V alloy (left) and its resulting frictional
self-lubricating materials that enable the performance at 600 C in an unlubricated self-mating titanium contact using a conventional
Ti6Al4V alloy as reference (right).
use of lubricants and lubricant additives
with a higher environmental compatibil-
ity, thus paving the way to a greener cold
forging industry. It is crucial to focus on
the complete tribosystem and consider 1. The h index is a quantitative metric based on analysis of publication data using publications
that the use of materials with an intrin- and citations.
sic low interfacial friction could result in 2. Torres, H., Ripoll, M. R. and Prakash, B. (2019), “Self-lubricating laser claddings for friction control
a game changer that enables the use of during press hardening of Al-Si-coated boron steel,” Journal of Materials Processing Technology,
more environmentally acceptable lubri- 269, pp. 79-90, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2019.02.002.
cant chemistries. 3. Torres, H., Rojacz, H., Čoga, L., Kalin, M. and Ripoll, M. R. (2020), “Local mechanical and frictional
properties of Ag/MoS2-doped self-lubricating Ni-based laser claddings and resulting high
TLT: What are the future challenges in temperature vacuum performance,” Materials & Design, 186, 108296, https://doi.org/10.1016/
j.matdes.2019.108296.
the research of self-lubricating materials?
4. Torres, H., Pichelbauer, K., Budnyk, S., Schachinger, T., Gachot, C. and Ripoll, M. R. (2023), “A Ni-Bi
Rodríguez Ripoll: Most of the works self-lubricating Ti6Al4V alloy for high temperature sliding contacts,” Journal of Alloys and
reported in literature on self-lubricating Compounds, 944, 169216, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2023.169216.

20 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

LUBRICATION FUNDAMENTALS

What do HTHS
and PSSI have to do
with viscosity?
High temperature high shear and permanent
shear stability index are two critical characteristics
for improving efficiency and preventing wear.

By Dan Holdmeyer viscosity with respect to temperature,

Contributing Editor which is quantified by the VI as we dis-

T
cussed in the March 2023 TLT. These poly-
wo more characteristics to un- mers are not only affected by temperature
derstand about viscosity under but also by shear. Let’s look at what these
fundamentals of lubrication are polymers are and how they work to under-
high temperature high shear stand shear’s influence on them.
(HTHS) and permanent shear stability in- Polymers are high molecular weight, or
dex (PSSI). Understanding these charac- long, viscous molecules that coil up tightly
teristics is critical for OEMs to meet high- when cold and stretch out, or uncoil, when
er and higher fuel economy requirements heated. When cold, and coiled up tight,
and for you to make sure you choose the these polymers do not significantly affect
right oil to protect your engine from pre- the viscosity of the base oil in which they
mature wear. are dissolved. However, when the finished
Viscosity index (VI) modif ied oils oil, the base oil with these polymers, is
contain polymers to lower the change in heated up to operating temperature, the

22 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 polymers uncoil and stretch out so that
they interact with the layers of oil that are
moving relative to two metal surfaces cre-
ating more resistance to flow, which we
know as viscosity.
Imagine a new deck of cards on the
poker table. Your hand pushes the top
card horizontally. The top card slides with
your hand, the bottom card stays where it
was on the table, and the cards in between
slide over each other at a gradient of dis-
tance proportional to the distance from ei-
ther the table or your hand. Now imagine
the cards are made of cardboard versus
plastic, and a bit “fuzzy” on their surfaces.
The fuzziness of one card interacts with
the adjacent card to impede movement
more so than the cards of the smooth plas-
tic deck of cards. The uncoiled polymers of
viscosity index improvers (VIIs) in oil act
like the fuzziness of the cardboard cards to Figure 1. Operating ranges.
provide resistance to flow.

Understanding HTHS and You can see in Figure 1 how VIIs af- conditions in the tight tolerances and
PSSI is critical for you fect the VI relative to temperature, and fast-moving components in the engine.
to make sure you choose the how that provides the desired result of The HTHS test subjects the oil to con-
right oil to protect your expanding the operating range of the stant shear at a constant temperature of
equipment and lubricant. The VIIs re- 150 C. Switching engine oils from an SAE
engine from premature wear.
act to temperature but also are affected 15W-40 to an SAE 5W-40 with low HTHS
A finished multigrade oil is formulated by shear and exhibit both temporary and provides a fuel economy improvement
with viscosity modifiers (along with other permanent shear characteristics. anywhere from 0.5%-1.5%, which is a big
additives) in a low viscosity base oil. The Temporary shear happens when the VIIs savings for over the road trucking.
base oil viscosity meets the targeted low experience moderate stress that compress- Most people are familiar with the SAE
temperature viscosity of the finished lu- es the uncoiled molecules, so they don’t J300 Engine Oil Viscosity Classification
bricant. The base oil viscosity, although interact as much with adjacent layers of oil. basically setting the minimum viscosity
relatively high at cold temperatures, de- The finished oil’s viscosity is temporarily at operating temperature for SAE 20, 30,
creases as the oil is brought up to operat- lowered, but not down to the base oil vis- 40, 50 and even 60. News to some may be
ing temperature. As the temperature rises, cosity at the given temperature. The viscos- that there are now three more SAE viscos-
the viscosity modifiers uncoil, “stretch out” ity returns to the finished oil’s original lev- ity grades: 8, 12 and 16. All of these clas-
and interact with neighboring layers of the els when the stress is removed. Common sifications are quantified with a minimum
oil to slow their movement causing more areas of moderate oil stress in an engine kinematic viscosity at 100 C, which is a low
resistance to flow, or an increase in viscos- are the bearings and in the piston-ring- shear condition measurement. HTHS is
ity. The viscosity increase from the viscos- cylinder liner interface. This temporary another SAE viscosity grade quantifier for
ity modifiers with increased temperature, shear is desirable in these regions as the the minimum viscosity under high shear
however, is not enough to offset the de- temporarily lowered viscosity helps reduce condition at high temperature, 150 C. This
crease in viscosity of the base oil. Thus, the internal engine resistance providing is like the concept of cold cranking, a low
even though an SAE 10W-30 acts like an higher fuel economy. However, the oil must shear condition test, and low temperature
SAE 10W at low temperatures and like an still protect the engine from excess wear. pumpability test via a mini-rotor viscome-
SAE 30 at operating temperatures, the oil’s Therefore, a lubricant’s temporary shear ter, a high shear condition test, for quanti-
viscosity is still less at operating tempera- potential needs to be quantified to enable fying the SAE xW viscosity grades.
ture versus at low temperatures. (For more OEMs to meet fuel economy requirements Now, when you view SAE J300 Engine
detail, see the March 2023 TLT Lubrica- and still protect their equipment. Oil Viscosity Classification charts, you will
tion Fundamentals article titled “Viscosity HTHS viscosity measurements sim- see both low shear and high shear tests
index and classifications.”) ulate the high temperature and shear quantifying the maximum viscosity for

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 LUBRICATION FUNDAMENTALS

SAE 0W, 5W, 10W, 15W, 20W and 25W and the shearing mechanism of the sonic and issue but require a higher dosage, and,
minimum viscosity for SAE 8, 12, 16, 20, the injector methods are different, the re- thus, higher cost, to acquire the same lev-
30, 40, 50 and 60. Interestingly SAE 40 has sults do correlate fairly well with each oth- el viscosity modification, but they do stay
two different HTHS limits. For SAE 0W-40, er. A more severe shear test is the KRL test, “in grade.” The appropriate compromise of
5W-40 and 10W-40, the HTHS limit is 3.5, which utilizes tapered roller bearings un- efficiency versus durability, and cost, must
whereas the limit is 3.7 for SAE 40, 15W-40, der load for a specified duration and rpm. be considered for the finished lubricant
20W-40 and 25W-40. The KRL test is typically used for gear ap- life in a given application. Extended life
It is important to know that older en- plications, whereas the injector and sonic lubricants require more durable polymers
gines typically are not compatible with low tests are commonly used for engine and to be able to provide protection over the
HTHS oils. Be sure to use the right viscosity hydraulic lubricants. life of the lubricant. Automotive driveline
grade lubricant for your particular engine.
Permanent shear happens when the VIIs
are subjected to high stress, and the long
molecular structure is broken into shorter
polymers. The shorter polymers no lon-
ger provide the desired viscosity at the
operating temperature. The oil no longer
“stays-in-grade,” or instead of being an
SAE 10W-30, it now has the viscosities of
SAE 10W-20 or lower.

Be sure to use the right

viscosity grade lubricant for
your particular engine.
A common area of high shear would
be in the lubricant film between the en-
gine cam lobes and tappets, or between
the meshing of heavily loaded gear teeth
in the transmission or final drives of mo-
bile equipment. This is one of the reasons
the viscosity of used automotive applica- A common area of high shear would be in the lubricant film between the engine cam lobes and tappets, or
tions oils, or oils with high VIs, should be between the meshing of heavily loaded gear teeth in the transmission or final drives of mobile equipment.
monitored at 100 C to see if the VIIs have
experienced permanent shear and need to Shear stabilities of VIIs are inversely and other gear sets also should lean more
be changed out. proportional to their molecular size. Gen- toward the more durable VIIs having a low-
PSSI is a measure of how much a VII erally, larger, or longer, polymers are more er PSSI.
permanently shears under specific condi- susceptible to shearing compared to short- PSSI is not a typical performance data
tions. A VII with a PSSI of 10 loses 10% er polymers. Consider how much easier it result provided on product technical data
of its viscosity contribution to the finished is to break a new standard-length pencil sheets. However, if the kinematic viscosity
oil’s viscosity, and a VII with a PSSI of 50 compared to the short golf course type at 100 C in used oil analysis results drops
loses 50%. Therefore, the lower the PSSI, pencil. The longer polymers are more effi- more than 10% before the oil change out, a
the more stable the VII is. cient in providing the required VI, in that it shorter drain interval may be required. Or
There exist several different ASTM takes a lower dosage of the long polymer a switch to a “long-drain” interval oil that
methods for measuring PSSI. So, when VII than the shorter more durable poly- likely is formulated with more shear sta-
comparing PSSIs of finished lubricants, it mers, and, thus, the cost of the finished lu- ble VIIs that also is likely more expensive
is critical to know the test method used. bricant can be lower. This is partially why could be cost effective.
Some procedures pass the oil through the early versions of multigrade oils were
a fuel injector, and different ASTM test known for not staying “in grade.” The early Dan Holdmeyer is retired from Chevron
methods require different pressures and multigrade finished lubricants utilized the Lubricants and is based in Washington, Mo.
number of passes through the injector. new-at-the-time polymers to enhance the You can reach him at dan.holdmeyer@
Another two ASTM test methods utilize VI of engine oils, but it quickly became gmail.com.
a sonic oscillator to cavitate the oil cre- evident more durable VIIs were needed.
ating the shearing mechanism. Although Shorter polymers improve the durability

24 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

SCHOLARSHIP RESEARCH

Metal oxide tribofilms:

Relating antiwear additive synergy
with mechanical properties
By Daniel Delghandi1, Sage Fulco1, Pranjal Nautiyal1, Parker LaMascus1,
Robert J. Wiacek2, Kevin T. Turner1, Robert W. Carpick1
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics,
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa., USA
2
Pixelligent Technologies LLC, Baltimore, Md., 21224, USA

Abstract and pumping losses.2 However, with this

A reduction in gear and engine oil viscosi- viscosity reduction, there is an increased
ty is a potential solution in the quest for a probability of direct asperity contact under
higher efficiency transportation sector, but high loads or system starting and stopping
lower viscosity oil requires advanced anti- sequences. In turn, wear mechanisms such
wear additives. Zirconia nanocrystals form as scuffing and pitting may increase in prev-
tribofilms that inhibit wear and scuffing alence.3 As such, advanced antiwear (AW)
while behaving cooperatively with commer- and extreme pressure (EP) additives must
cial antiwear additives, suggesting that the be added to lubricants, or specialized coat-
antiwear additives may be integrated in the ings applied to surfaces, to maintain suffi-
tribofilm, affecting its properties. This work cient component lifetime.
investigates the mechanical properties of Functionalized zirconium dioxide (ZrO2)
Daniel Delghandi zirconia tribofilms formed with various con- nanocrystals (NCs) have shown promise as
centrations of a phosphorus-based additive. an AW additive that can enable effective low
Editor’s Note: This month TLT profiles the Phosphorus integration is determined by viscosity lubrication.4-6 Through a stress-
2022 recipient of The E. Richard Booser spatially resolved compositional charac- assisted sintering mechanism, coined tri-
Scholarship Award, Daniel Delghandi terization, and nanoindentation is used to bosintering, the ZrO2 NCs form a tribofilm
(University of Pennsylvania). The scholar- determine the mechanical properties of the at sliding and rolling interfaces. These
ship is awarded annually to undergraduate formed tribofilms. We report that phospho- tribofilms, typically 50-300 nm thick, have
students who have an interest in pursuing rus can be integrated in the tribofilm bulk been shown to develop over a wide range of
a career in tribology. As a requirement for without influencing the hardness or elastic temperatures and on various substrates.5,8
receiving an STLE scholarship, students modulus of the tribofilm. ZrO2 NCs can be dispersed in base oils as
are given the opportunity to participate in Keywords: nanocrystals, antiwear an AW additive to form an optically clear
a tribology research project and to submit additive, tribofilm, nanoindentation lubricant, inhibiting scuffing and wear and
a report summarizing their research. For and lubrication. behaving cooperatively with proprietary
more information about the Booser schol- S- and P-based AW/EP additives.6-8 Elinski
arship, visit www.stle.org. 1. Introduction et al. showed that when combined with a
Delghandi graduates with an under- The timeline to deal with impending climate commercial additive package, the ZrO2
graduate degree in mechanical engineer- change continues to shrink, demanding NC tribofilm enhanced wear protection.
ing in May 2023 and will begin his doctoral higher efficiency mechanical systems. The Through chemical characterization, they
studies in mechanical engineering in Au- transportation sector accounts for 37% of demonstrated the incorporation of phos-
gust. His research was conducted under U.S. energy consumption, making it a key phorus in the tribofilm. This indicates that
the mentorship of STLE member Robert area in need of improvement.1 One highly the elastic modulus and hardness of the
W. Carpick. Some of Delghandi’s interests sought and promising solution is a reduc- tribofilm, properties partly responsible for
and extracurriculars include volleyball, tion in lubricant oil viscosity: lowering gear wear performance, may have been altered
traveling and cooking. You can reach him and engine oil viscosity by 25% would yield by this inclusion. Despite abundant work
at [email protected]. fuel savings of 2.5% and 5.5% respectively on the growth and AW functionality of ZrO2
through a reduction in oil shear, churning NC tribofilms,4-8,10 little literature on the

26 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 Figure 1. (a) Mini Traction Machine set up. (b) WLI used to measure tribofilm step-edge height.

mechanical properties exists. One exception who also synthesized the ZrO2 NCs. The NCs, chosen such that the P content in the for-
is the work of Khare et al.8 Forming a ZrO2 5 nm in diameter, are dispersed in a mulation was 100 ppm and 500 ppm by
tribofilm with an atomic force microscope polyalphaolefin (PAO) base oil via a pro- weight respectively.
(AFM) and a reciprocating tribometer, they prietary capping agent, resulting in a
measured a hardness of 7.3 ± 0.7 GPa and monodisperse, optically clear and sta- 2.2 Tribofilm formation, surface
7.9 ± 0.2 GPa respectively, even higher than ble dispersion. The commercial additive characterization and wear testing
the 6.7 GPa hardness typically measured used is Additin RC3760 (Lanxess, Cologne, Tribofilms were produced by running the
for bulk monoclinic zirconia. This suggests Germany). It is based on an amine-neutral- selected lubricants in a ball-on-disc tribo-
that the hardness of the underlying 52100 ized phosphoric acid ester and contains no meter (MTM2, PCS Instruments, UK), shown
steel (11 GPa) was influencing the measure- sulfur. The treat rates of the additive were in Figure 1(a). The testing parameters are
ments, a common phenomenon for thin film
indents known as the substrate effect.11
However, Khare et al.’s data were
Sample Base Oil ZrO2 NCs Commercial AW Phosphorus Content in
for tribofilms generated in neat oils, with (%) Additive Lubricant by weight (ppm)
no co-additives. The antiwear benefits of
P-based AW/EP additives motivate mea-
1 PAO4 + ester 1 - 0
suring the mechanical properties of tribo-
films formed with such co-additives. Doing
so will provide an improved mechanistic 2 PAO4 + ester 1 0.2% RC3760 100
understanding of AW/EP additive synergies
with NCs, allowing for more effective design 3 PAO4 + ester 1 1.0% RC3760 500
of NC-containing additive packages. Ac-
cordingly, this study investigates the influ- Table 1. Investigated lubricant compositions.
ence of a phosphoric acid ester co-additive
on ZrO2 tribofilm hardness and elastic mod-
ulus. A ball-on-disc tribometer was used to Substrate Hardened 52100 steel
form ZrO2 tribofilms and white light inter-
ferometry was applied ex situ to obtain the
Temperature (°C) 100
final tribofilm height. Time-of-Flight Sec-
ondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS)
was then performed to determine AW ad- Maximum Contact Pressure (GPa) 1.12
ditive integration in the tribofilm before
nanoindentation on the disc was conducted Entrainment Speed (mm/s) 150
to discern mechanical properties. This work
provides new insights for tuning the anti- Slide-to-Roll Ratio (%) 50
wear performance of nanocrystal additives.

2. Materials and methods Duration (hours) 2

2.1 Lubricant samples
Table 1 summarizes the lubricants tested Nondimensional film thickness, Ȝ ~1 (Boundary/Mixed Regime)
in this study. The oil formulations were
provided by Pixelligent Technologies LLC, Table 2. Summarized tribofilm formation conditions.

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 SCHOLARSHIP RESEARCH

summarized in Table 2. After the tribofilms 2.3 Nanomechanical characterization the width of the tribofilm, resulting in a ro-
were formed, the specimens were soni- Hardness and elastic modulus of the tribo- bust data set of over 200 indents for each
cated with toluene followed by isopropa- films formed on the discs were measured tribofilm. The hardness was then found
nol to remove any oil residue. They were as a function of depth using a nanoindent- through the ratio of the peak applied load to
then sputter coated (Sputter Coater 108, er (TI-950 TriboIndenter, Hysitron, USA) the projected contact area, and the Oliver-
Cressington, UK) using a single Au/Pd equipped with a Berkovich diamond tip of Pharr method was used to determine the
target,12 and the surfaces examined using 1140 GPa elastic modulus and 0.07 Pois- reduced modulus.13 Figure 2 highlights a
white light interferometry (NewView 6000, son’s ratio. A tip area calibration on a fused typical load-displacement curve obtained
Zygo, USA) as shown in Figure 1(b). This quartz sample of known elastic modulus during an LC measurement. To avoid mea-
provided detail on the tribofilm morphology was performed. Both load-controlled (LC) surement artifacts due to surface rough-
and step-edge height (height above the measurements and continuous stiffness ness, measurements were taken at indent
steel substrate). measurements (CSM) were taken across depths greater than 10 nm. To avoid the
influence of substrate properties, indents
were made at depths less than ~20% of
the tribofilm thickness. This is a difficult
threshold to determine, as it is common for
the tribofilms to be embedded in the steel,
meaning the measured step-edge height
with WLI does not reflect the true tribofilm
thickness, but rather is a lower bound.

2.4 Compositional characterization

Compositional characterization of the tri-
bofilm was performed with the use of ToF-
SIMS. This allows for spatially-resolved
measurement of the chemical species in
the tribofilm. The measurements were per-
formed using a TOFWERK compact ToF-
SIMS (CTOF) spectrometer fitted inside a
Tescan S8252X dual-beam plasma focused
ion beam scanning electron microscope
(FIB-SEM). ToF-SIMS was only performed
Figure 2. Representative load-displacement curve taken by indenting ZrO2 tribofilm at 125 μN load. on the ZrO2 + RC3760 tribofilm formed with

Figure 3. Scanning WLI images and corresponding height profiles of tribofilms formed on disc.

28 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 SCHOLARSHIP RESEARCH

the higher concentration of phosphorus in

the lubricant (500 ppm).

3. Results and discussion

All three formulations formed tribofilms
under the chosen experimental conditions.
Figure 3 on page 28 highlights the surface
morphology, profile, and step-edge heights
of the three tribofilms formed on the disc
substrate. For brevity, the tribofilms will be
referred to as ZrO2, ZrO2 + 100 ppm P and
ZrO2 + 500 ppm P, although it is the lubri-
cant used to carry the additives that con-
tains this phosphorus concentration and not
the tribofilms themselves. Toward higher
treat rates of P in the lubricant, a tribofilm
of greater step-edge height is produced, in- Figure 4. ToF-SIMS characterization of (a) Zirconia (m/Q = 122) and (b) phosphorus (m/Q = 63)
dicating enhanced antiwear performance. integration in the ZrO2 + 500 ppm P tribofilm on the disc specimen.
This is in line with the results of Elinski et
al.,7 showing the cooperativity between the
employed AW additive and the ZrO2 NCs.
This increase in height with higher P
concentrations indicates that the inclusion
of co-additives in the tribofilm may allow for
thicker tribofilms. ToF-SIMS was performed
on the ZrO2 + 500 ppm P tribofilm to confirm
this. Figure 4 shows the top-down view and
cross-sectional view of the ZrO2- and PO2-
ions recorded in the tribofilm. As expected,
a strong zirconia signal is seen through the
thickness of the tribofilm. Moreover, the
milling process allowed for a more accu-
rate estimation of tribofilm thickness than
the height provided through WLI, indicating
this tribofilm is ~350 nm thick. This exceeds
the measured step-edge height of Figure 3,
indicating that part of the tribofilm is em-
bedded below the nominal steel height. The
strong presence of the PO2- ions confirms
that P is integrated with ZrO2 in the bulk of
Figure 5. (a) Indentation modulus and (b) hardness plotted as a function of indentation depth
the tribofilm. for all tribofilms and the steel substrate.
Having confirmed the integration of P in
the bulk of the ZrO2 + 500 ppm P tribofilm,
hardness and elastic modulus data were Consequently, the indentation modulus, 30 nm is 234 GPa. Using 52100 steel’s
obtained as a function of depth via nanoin- Es*, is defined by Equation 2 and corrects for known Poisson’s ratio of ~0.3, produces to
dentation on all three tribofilms. The mea- the properties of the indenter tip.14 a measured elastic modulus of ~ 213 GPa
sured reduced modulus is defined by Equa- ES 1 (2) in agreement with the well-established
tion 1, where ER is the reduced modulus, and Es* = = modulus of 210 GPa.19 For all tribofilms, we
(1–v s2 ) 1 (1–vi)
Es, vs , Ei and vi are the elastic modulus and – observe a decrease in Es* until the 30-45
ER Ei
Poisson’s ratio of the sample and indenter nm range, where the modulus appears to
respectively. Figure 5(a) shows the indentation mod-
plateau, indicating this is the bulk tribofilm
1 (1–v s2) (1–vi2) ulus for the three tribofilms and bare steel
= + modulus. Moreover, within the uncertainty
ER Es Ei (1) as a function of indentation depth. The
of measurement, Es* is comparable for all
average value of the indentation modulus
three tribofilms, at 124 ± 20 GPa.
of the steel substrate beyond a depth of

30 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 Sample Source Tribofilm Indentation Hardness Es*
Thickness Depth / Tribofilm (GPa) (GPa)
(nm) Thickness (%)

ZrO2 Tribofilm This study 350 8 - 15 4.5 ± 0.8 124 ± 20

(MTM generated)

ZrO2 Tribofilm Khare et al.8 150 17 - 23 7.3 ± 0.7 178 ± 5*

(AFM generated)

Bulk monoclinic Literature8 - - 6.7 ± 2.6 214 ± 2*

ZrO2

52100 Steel This study - - 11.1 ± 0.6 234 ± 7

52100 Steel Khare et al.8 - - 11.0 ± 0.6 217 ± 4*

52100 Steel Literature8 - - 8.0 ± 1.4 239 ± 22

*Es* was calculated by applying Equation 2 and assuming a Poisson’s ratio of 0.27 for ZrO2,17 and 0.3 for 52100 steel.18

Table 3. Average nanoindentation hardness and indentation modulus for ZrO2 and steel from this study and existing literature.

Figure 5(b) shows the hardness of the between ZrO2 NCs and AW additives will Classical work on AW films has been
tribofilms as a function of depth. As with likely depend on additive chemistry and based on Archard’s model for wear in slid-
modulus, the tribofilms exhibit higher hard- test conditions. This is outside the scope ing interfaces, where the wear volume is
ness at shallow indentation depths but then of this work but is the subject of a current inversely proportional to hardness.19 More
stabilize in the 30-45 nm range at 4.5 ± 0.8 investigation. At very shallow indents, be- recent work, however, has shown that the
GPa across the three tribofilms. tween 10-20 nm, the ZrO2 and ZrO2 + 100 ratio of hardness to elastic modulus can
The similar behavior and magnitudes ppm P tribofilms both exhibited a higher provide a more accurate proxy for wear
of both hardness and indentation modu- hardness and indentation modulus than resistance than hardness alone.20-23 This
lus for all three tribofilms indicate that P the ZrO2 + 500 ppm P tribofilm. Likewise, ratio represents the elastic strain to failure
integration in the bulk does not measur- the hardness and indentation modulus for of the coating. Landauer et al. posit that a
ably influence the tribofilm hardness or all tribofilms was seen to decrease in the lower H/E ratio results in lower wear for
elastic modulus, but rather, ZrO2 domi- 10-30 nm range, prior to plateauing. These sacrificial and self-healing tribofilms due to
nates the mechanical properties. Albeit, results may be due to an indentation size an enhanced ability to absorb energy upon
Scratch hardness, a potentially more di- effect compounded by uncertainties intro- asperity collisions in rolling and sliding con-
rectly translatable mechanical property duced at extremely shallow indents,16 but tacts.22 Similarly, they claim a higher H/E
to abrasive wear,15 may not exhibit this further discussion of this is out-of-scope. ratio is preferential for bulk or coated ma-
same trend and will be the subject of fu- Table 3 provides a comparison of terial as it indicates a greater resistance to
ture investigations. Furthermore, the com- hardness and indentation modulus data plastic deformation and hence wear.
mensurate properties across all tribofilms for 52100 steel and ZrO2 collected in this As two points of comparison to our re-
(see Figure 5) suggest that they may be of study in comparison to the work of Khare sults, we consider zinc dialkyl dithiophos-
comparable thickness with varying embed- et al.8 The indentation modulus and hard- phate (ZDDP) and diamond like carbon
ment into the substrate, indicated by the ness measured in this study are 30% and (DLC). For sacrificial and self-healing tribo-
variation in step-edge height (see Figure 38% respectively lower than the values films, particularly for automotive engines,
3). The variation in embedment indicates recorded by Khare et al., likely a result of ZDDP has remained the state-of-the-art
that the P-containing AW additive may in- the tribofilms being formed under different AW additive for the past 70 years.24 DLCs
hibit initial stage wear of the steel, prior conditions, but also because of the depth at have been used as coatings for over 50
to full tribofilm formation. This is in line which indents were taken. We believe that years and are used as coatings on upwards
with the mechanism proposed by Elinski thicker tribofilms formed in this study al- of 100 million parts per year.25 While the
et al., where the adsorption of AW and EP lowed for more accurate mechanical prop- mechanical properties of ZDDP tribofilms
additives on the steel surfaces protects erty measurement. depend on the conditions in which the tri-
against early adhesive wear.7 The synergy bofilms were formed, Landauer et al. found

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 SCHOLARSHIP RESEARCH

Coating H/E ratio

(EERE) under the Advanced Manufacturing
Office, Award Number DE-EE0009120.

ZrO2 Tribofilm 0.036

1. Dunn, D.R. (2022), “October 2022 Monthly
Energy Review,” US Energy Information
ZDDP Tribofilm 0.037 Administration, pp. 36.
2. Holmberg, K., Andersson, P., Nylund, N.O.,
Makela, K., Erdemir, A. (2014), “Global
DLC Coating 0.111
energy consumption due to friction in
trucks and buses,” Tribology International.
Table 4. Comparison of hardness to elastic modulus ratio for ZrO2 tribofilm, ZDDP tribofilm, and 78, pp. 94-114.
DLC coating.
3. Stachowiak, G. W., Batchelor, A. W. (2014),
“Engineering tribology,” Elsevier Inc. 4.
ZDDP tribofilms formed in the boundary • Phosphorus integration in the ZrO2
regime to have an Es* of 139 ± 27 GPa and tribofilm does not influence the 4. Dai, W., Kheireddin, B., Gao, H., Kan et al.
(2016), “Formation of Anti-Wear Tribofilms
hardness of 5.1 ± 1.4 GPa at room tempera- tribofilms hardness or elastic modulus,
via Į-ZrP Nanoplatelet as Lubricant
ture.21 DLC also ranges mechanical prop- although this may vary with other Additives,” Lubricants. 4, 28.
erties, but Chowdhury et al. produced an forms of phosphorus or other types of
5. Kato, H., Komai, K. (2007), “Tribofilm
amorphous DLC coating with a hardness co-additives. formation and mild wear by tribo-sintering of
of 15 GPa and an elastic modulus of 135 nanometer-sized oxide particles on rubbing
GPa.26 Table 4 compares the H/E ratio for The presented work is one of few to pro- steel surface,” Wear. 262, pp. 36-41.
our ZrO2 tribofilms, a ZDDP tribofilm and a vide hardness and elastic modulus data on 6. Lahouij, I., Gould, B., Demas N. et al. (2022),
DLC coating. The ZrO2 and ZDDP tribofilms ZrO2 tribofilms, furthering the exploration of “Inhibition of Micro-pitting by Tribofilm-
are very close in value while the DLC is an AW additive synergy with ZrO2 NCs. The elu- Forming ZrO2 Nanocrystal Additives: A
cidated mechanical properties showcase the Micro-pitting Rig and Transmission Electron
order of magnitude larger, aligning with Microscopy Study,” Tribology Letters. 70, 13.
the hypothesis that higher H/E correlates robustness of ZrO2 tribofilms generated in
situ at lubricated contacts, without the need 7. Elinski, M., LaMascus, P., Zheng, L. et al.
to enhanced performance for coatings. The (2020), “Cooperativity Between Zirconium
similarity in H/E between the ZrO2 tribo- for expensive manufacturing technologies
Dioxide Nanoparticles and Extreme Pressure
film and ZDDP tribofilm suggests that ZrO2 used for depositing traditional antiwear coat- Additives in Forming Protective Tribofilms:
tribofilms can provide high quality wear ings. This finding illustrates the promise of Towards Enabling Low Viscosity Lubricants,”
employing nanocrystals in lubricants for sur- Tribology Letters. 68, 107.
protection in environments like gearboxes,
where ZDDP is unavailable. However, this face protection against harsh contact condi- 8. Khare, H., Lahouij, I. et al. (2018), “Nanoscale
tions in engines and gearboxes and opens Generation of Robust Solid Films from
does not consider the difference in composi-
new avenues of study. For one, a detailed Liquid-Dispersed Nanoparticles via in Situ
tion between ZDDP (a phosphate glass) and Atomic Force Microscopy: Growth Kinetics
ZrO2 (a ceramic). Further work is needed to exploration of the behavior in mechanical and Nanomechanical Properties,” ACS
determine the suitability of ZrO2 tribofilms properties of ZrO2 with depth provides an Applied Materials & Interfaces. 10, 46, pp.
as a permanent coating. important stepping-stone for developing a 40335-40347.
fundamental understanding of tribosintering 9. Demas, N.G., Gould, B.J., Greco, A.C., et al.
4. Conclusion theory. Exploring other mechanical proper- (2019), “Scuffing Performance of Low-
This work presented preliminary results ties, such as scratch hardness, may reveal Viscosity Gear Oil Containing ZrO2
on the mechanical properties of ZrO 2 further valuable information. Nanocrystals,” Proc. STLE/ASME Int. Jt.
Tribology Conference.
tribofilms formed in situ at a mixed sliding
5. Acknowledgements 10. Thrush, S.J., Comfort, A.S. et al. (2019),
rolling contact with varying degrees of
Daniel Delghandi gratefully acknowledges “Stability, Thermal Conductivity, Viscosity,
phosphorus integration. and Tribological Characterization of Zirconia
STLE for bestowing him with the E. Rich-
Nanofluids as a Function of Nanoparticle
• ZrO2 tribofilms formed with higher ard Booser Scholarship, which funded his Concentration,” Tribology Transactions. 63,
concentrations of a phosphorus-based research. He also acknowledges the Ra- 1, pp. 68-76.
antiwear additive exhibited enhanced chleff Scholars program at the University 11. Saha, R., Nix, W.D. (2002), “Effects of the
tribofilm height, smoothness and wear of Pennsylvania. This work was conducted substrate on the determination of thin film
performance, while also showing in part at the Singh Center of Nanotechnol- mechanical properties by nanoindentation,”
phosphorus integration in the bulk of ogy, which is supported by the NSF National Acta Materialia. 50, pp. 23-38.
the tribofilm. Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure 12. Benedet, J., Green, J.H., Lamb, G.D., Spikes,
• A ZrO2 tribofilm was shown to exhibit H. (2009), “Spurious Mild Wear Measurement
Program under grant NNCI-2025608. This
Using White Light Interference Microscopy
a bulk hardness of 4.5 GPa and material is based upon work supported by on the Presence of Antiwear Films,”
indentation modulus of 124 GPa, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Tribology Transactions. 52, 6.
exhibiting a comparable H/E ratio to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
ZDDP tribofilms.

32 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 13. Oliver, W.C., Pharr, G.M. (1992), “An improved 18. “AISI E 52100 Steel (100Cr6, SUJ2, UNS 23. Leyland, A., Matthews, A. (2000), “On the
technique for determining hardness and G52986),” MatWeb. Significance of the H/E ratio in wear
elastic modulus using load and displacement 19. Archard, J.F. (1953), “Contact and Rubbing of control: a nanocomposite coating approach
sensing indentation experiments,” Journal Flat Surfaces,” Journal of Applied Physics. to optimized tribological behavior,” Wear.
of Materials Research. 7, pp. 1564-1583. 24, 981. 2, pp. 1-11.
14. Pereira, G., Munoz-Paniagua, D., Lachenwit- 20. Beake, B.D. (2022), “The influence of the 24. Spikes, H. (2004), “The history and mechan-
zer, A. et al. (2007), “A variable tempera- H/E ratio on wear resistance of coating isms of ZDDP,” Tribology Letters. 17, 3.
ture mechanical analysis of ZDDP-derived systems – Insights from small-scale 25. Bewilogua, K., Hofmann, D. (2014), “History
antiwear films formed on 52100 Steel,” testing,” Surface and Coating Technology. of diamond-like carbon films – From first
Wear. 262, 3, pp. 461-470. 442, 128272. experiments to worldwide applications,”
15. Vencl, A., Manic, N., Popovic, V., Mrdak, M. 21. Ni, W., Cheng, Y., Lukitsch, M.J. et al. (2004), Surface and Coatings Technology. 242, pp.
(2010), “Possibility of the Abrasive Wear “Effects of the ratio of hardness to Young’s 214-225.
Resistance Determination with Scratch modulus on the friction and wear behavior of 26. Chowduhry, S., Laugier, M.T., Rahman, I.Z.
Tester,” Tribology Letters. 37, pp. 591-604. bilayer coatings,” Applied Physics Letters. (2004), “Characterization of DLC coatings
16. Fischer-Cripps, A.C. (2011), “4.7 Indentation 85, 4028. deposited by rf magnetron sputtering,”
Size Effect,” Nanoindentation, Springer. 22. Landauer, A.K., Barnhill, W.C., Qu, J. (2016), Journal of Materials Processing Technology.
3rd edition. “Correlating mechanical properties and 153, pp. 804-810.
17. Savchenko, N., Sevostyanova, I., Sablina, T. et anti-wear performance of tribofilms formed
al. (2014), “The influence of porosity on the by ionic liquids, ZDDP and their combina-
elasticity and strength of alumina and tions,” Wear. 354, pp. 78-82.
zirconia ceramics,” Proc. AIP Conference.

WWW.STLE.ORG TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY APRIL 2023 • 33

WEBINAR

Understanding and
controlling water dilutable
metal-removal fluid failure
Identifying the cause of a metalworking fluid
failure can help you determine which
strategy to employ to counteract the failure.
By Dr. Yulia Sosa
Contributing Editor

KEY CONCEPTS All figures and tables courtesy of Quaker Houghton.

I
Metalworking fluid (MWF) failure happens; how-
ever, there are effective ways to control it. n machining of high precision parts, the dimensional variation of the cutting process
is very critical. The demand for high quality and fully automated production places
Selection of a robust MWF technology is a lot of emphasis on the cutting process, which has a major contribution to part
critical for a machining site. quality. Metalworking fluid (MWF) has been a key factor to machining performance
and a key contributor to increase the effectiveness of machining systems. In this way,
Basic understanding of an MWF technology MWFs (i.e., metal-removal fluids) play an important role in minimizing production time,
will significantly benefit end-users. cost and energy in different machining operations. Maintaining and operating MWFs is
a huge cost driver for the user.1 Understanding and controlling MWF failures can greatly
reduce the volume of the MWF used and, thus, the overall machining cost of the site.
This article is based on an STLE Webinar presented by STLE Fellow John Burke, CMFS,
consultant to Quaker Houghton. See Meet the Presenter for more information.
This article gives an overview of the five basic failure mechanisms of an MWF, steps
on how to control these mechanisms and then a brief summary. It will cover water
dilutable fluids.

34 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 What causes an MWF to fail?
As shown in Figure 1, MWF changes
over time, which is caused by a number
of reasons. There are five primary failure
mechanisms that cause fluids to fail. They Figure 1. MWF changes over time.
can act independently or in combination
with each other:
1. Attack by positively charged
contaminants
2. Effects of negatively charged
contaminants
3. Effects of extraneous oils (tramp oils)
4. Loss of pH
5. Effects from microorganisms
(bacteria and fungus).
There also are less common failure
mechanisms that can be equally damag-
ing to the fluid. When performing MWF
troubleshooting, some additional failure
mechanisms should be considered:
• High shear forces—cavitation
• High temperatures: +180 F
• Oxidative reactions Figure 2. Coolant makeup cycles (UCL = upper control limit, LCL = lower control limit).
• Galvanic reactions
• Evaporation of alkaline components—
Figure 2 shows a fluid that was filtered Cast iron fines were removed from the
amine loss
to 30 microns; additionally the following system within minutes of chip formation.
• Evaporation of light oil fractions
items were used: The fluid lasted beyond 18 days.
• Leaching of zinc, lead and copper
• Basic emulsified oil There are multiple variables in the metal-
• Hydrolytic stability of biobased esters
• Cast iron grinding cutting process (see Figure 3 on page 36).
• Selective additive stripping—
• Water hardness = 120 mg/L. Any one of these variables can affect
defoamers, oil-like components
• Poor cold-water mixing
• Freeze/thaw stability
• Poor initial mixing Meet the Presenter
• Poor grounding/stray direct
currents/storage tank. This article is based on a Webinar presented by STLE
However, if an MWF is well-managed, Education on Nov. 9, 2022. Understanding and Con-
there are many benefits to a site, which trolling Water Dilutable Metal Removal Fluid Failure
vary on site conditions: is available at www.stle.org: $39 to STLE members,
$59 for all others.
• Cleaner and safer working
John Burke recently retired from Quaker Houghton.
environment
He received his engineering degree from the Univer-
• Less waste to dispose
sity of Dayton in 1971. He has more than 50 years of
• Extend the life of the MWF
experience in the metalworking industry. He has 11
• Improve tool life and the consistency
U.S. patents and many international patents. He is John Burke
of metal-removal processes
the author of two chapters in the book “Metalworking
• Reduce overall operating cost.
Fluids, Third Edition.” Burke has been an instructor for the STLE metalworking fluids educa-
tion course for the past 26 years. He is an STLE Certified Metalworking Fluids Specialist™
MWF (coolant) makeup cycles
(CMFS). Burke also is an associate editor for the STLE-affilicated journal Tribology Trans-
The MWF is a key variable. If an MWF is
actions. He received the STLE P.M. Ku Award in 2006 and has been an STLE Fellow since
required to make a part, then as that MWF
2011. In 2015 he received the John A. Bellanti Award for dedicated service from ILMA. Burke
changes in quality or quantity, it also has an
received Governors Awards in Ohio and Tennessee for waste minimization projects. He re-
effect on final part quality.
ceived an award from U.S. President George Bush at the White House in 1991 for advances
in waste minimization. You can reach Burke at [email protected].

WWW.STLE.ORG TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY APRIL 2023 • 35

 WEBINAR

finished part quality; however the con- same job, including cutting the same type then others after one, five and 15 weeks
dition of an MWF is a key variable. If an of metal, making the same parts. The first of operations. All fluids were still making
MWF is needed to make a part, then as that week of the trial, samples were taken from parts, albeit not very well in the case of #1
MWF changes in quality or quantity, it will the sumps of the 15 machines. Sample #1 and #15. The test ended at the 15-week
have an effect on final part quality as well. and Sample #15 were left as is, filled with period, mostly due to the fact that produc-
control fluids, while all the other samples tion suffered, and workers complained of
Can failure rates be modified? were adjusted with better water, filtration, odors. Samples #9, #10 and #14 were still
An experimental trial was conducted on biocides and combinations thereof. Figure making good parts.
15 machines. All machines were doing the 4 shows that some of the fluids look better, At the end of this experiment, certain
samples looked better than others; Sample
#10 had some control with biocide and fil-
Manufacturing Process Variables ter, and Sample #9 showed the best results
(see Figure 5). Sample #9 used purified “low
hardness” water, was filtered to 30 microns,
then pH was adjusted upward to 9.0, water
was used prior purified by reverse osmosis
(RO) and a triazine biocide was added in
small doses throughout the trial. Note, the
tramp oil was not removed during any part
of this testing. Clearly, or at least visually,
the failure rates can be modified.
Although Sample #9 (see Figure 6) looked
good, there was still a significant amount
of tramp oil in the fluid, and the fluid was
Figure 3. Manufacturing process variables. starting to phase separate. It was clearly not

Week 1 Week 5 Week 15

Figure 4. MWFs experiment: Visual results after 1 week, 5 weeks and 15 weeks.

No Control Some Control Best Control

Biocide + Filter Biocide + Filter +
pH + RO water
Figure 5. MWFs experiment: A closer look at the visual results after 15 weeks. Figure 6. Sample #9.

36 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 as good as observed in the first week of the
trial. The questions to be answered:
• This fluid “looks good,” but can it
machine at optimum feed and
speeds with it?
• Is it still safe to the worker?
• Should this fluid be discarded?

Tool life versus time

Figure 7 shows another experiment. The
process was a turning of SAE 8620 steel
(gear steel), and coated carbide inserts
were used. It started with the plant water,
which was rather hard, and at a later time Figure 7. Tool life versus time experiment.
water hardness was lowered to 205 mg/L.
The machining performance of the fluid
was increased from 12 weeks to 16 weeks,
a 30% improvement. However, tool life Three Basic Water Reducible MWF Formulations
continued to decline since only one failure
mechanism was addressed. Pushing the
Emulsifiable Oil Oil + Anionic Soap + Rust Preventative + Coupling
fluid past 16 weeks continues to show a
(Soluble Oil) Agent + Biocide + Buffer
decline in tool life. In other words, there
can be a point of diminishing returns; while
fluid life can be extended, the tool life (pro- Semi-Synthetic Oil + Synthetic Component + Anionic Soap + Coupling
ductivity) will decline. Agent + Rust Preventative + Buffer + Biocide

Failure mechanism #1: Cation attack

Most fluids today can be categorized into Synthetic Synthetic Component + Fatty Acid + Anionic Wetting
three basic formulations. The fluid com- Agent + Rust Preventative + Buffer + Biocide
ponents that are bolded (see Table 1) are
negatively charged, which means that the Bolded items are negatively charged
machining process is occurring with the Table 1. Three basic water reducible MWF formulations.
metal that generates positive charges.
Table 2 shows different metal cate-
gories used during a machining process. Type of Metal Being Machined
Metalworking machining exposes very
reactive metal surfaces. Some metals are
more reactive than others. Iron and alu- Most Destructive Cast or Ductile Iron Fe+++
minum can expose three positive charges. Certain Grades of Aluminum Al+++
Magnesium can have two positive charges. Magnesium Mg++
Stainless (nickel) alloys are generally not
reactive metals.
Mildly Destructive AISI/SAE 1020, 4140, 8620
Basic emulsified oil is dispersed in
Brass
a fluid because the oil droplets have in-
Lead
duced negative charges from the emulsi-
Copper
fying chemistries. If these fluids are not
exposed to a metalworking operation, or
any other failure mechanism, they can re- Least Destructive Stainless Steel
main stable emulsions for years (see Figure Ultra-Alloys such as Incoloy
8 on page 38).
When freshly machined metal is ex-
Key Words: Type of metal being cut
posed to dispersed oil droplets, the oil be-
gins to agglomerate around the oil droplets Table 2. Different metal categories used during machining process.
(see Figure 9 on page 38).

WWW.STLE.ORG TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY APRIL 2023 • 37

 WEBINAR

metal particles) and eliminate tramp oil,

hard water effects, heat and biological ef-
fects. Three cast iron slugs were ground on
400 grit media.
The starting concentration of MWF
was 20% oil, and as Figure 12 on page 40
shows, it has split out in just 15 minutes
to about 10%. This simple test supports
the theory that reactive iron fines can
destabilize an MWF. Also note that the
Figure 8. Typical emulsified oil MWF schematic.
floating material on top of the MWF is not
a tramp oil, but more likely iron soaps (for
this fluid type). Note only metal reaction
was isolated in the experiment—there
were no other reactions.
Since metal fines are reactive, it is be-
cause of the positive charges on the surface
and not the total weight of the metal ma-
chined. Therefore, small metal particles,
such as the result of grinding, generate
more surface area per pound of metal ma-
chined (see Table 3 on page 40).
To add to the above statement, it is well
known that machining generates a lot of
surface area (see Figure 13 on page 41).
An example is a simple calculation of
taking one square foot of steel and grind-
Figure 9. Typical emulsified oil MWF schematic on the road to failure. ing it into 50-micron cubes: starting with
6 square feet of surface area and moving
to 35,720 square feet of surface area rep-
resents 6,000 times increase in surface
area. For reference, that is more than half
the area of an American football field.

Filtration example: Cation attack

In a real-world example, with even smaller
particles, the same metal fine “cation reac-
tion” occurred in a five-day period. A better
filter for the system may have helped. Also,
copper “soaps” formed making finer levels
of filtration more difficult:
• 15,000 gallon system
• Copper alloy
• Wire drawing–copper:
Figure 10. Typical emulsified oil MWF schematic. ° 1,000 total suspended solids
° 210 mg/L <8 micron
° 168 mg/L <0.45 micron
The surface charges of the oil droplets Figure 11 on page 40 shows test rigs for
° 120 mg/L <0.2 micron
are not neutralized, but they are electro- a cast iron grinding experiment that was
chemically bound to the charged metal conducted, where a large amount of very • Over time, metal particles built up
particle. The oil droplet and metal particles small metal particles was emersed into a linearly while surface area of dirt built
become larger (now 10 microns or larger small amount of MWF. The experiment up exponentially.
versus initial 2-3 microns), and they begin intended to isolate one reaction (charged • Once coolant hit these dirt levels,
to float, resembling tramp oil (see Figure 10). failure occurred in five days.

38 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 WEBINAR

Water is the next area of cation attack.

Water used in the machining industry gen-
erally includes a salt such as calcium car-
bonate (see Table 4). Water can be purified
by various means. Figure 11. Cast iron grinding experiment: test rigs.
There are several areas of concern
when using a municipal water as is. Table
5 on page 42 shows the water analysis,
which a fluid manager was asked to review
for a “staining” problem at a manufactur-
ing plant in Canton, Ohio. Note, it is not
common to have such an extensive water
analysis available from a municipality or
water district.

Metalworking fluid has

been a key factor to
machining performance
and a key contributor
to increase the effectiveness
of machining systems.
Table 6 on page 43 shows the same
water analysis from Ohio with some of
the key components of the water sepa-
rated out. Three water sources are from
wells and not surface waters. Each well
varies significantly from each other. This
can explain why the problems at this
manufacturing plant were sporadic. One
well has a water hardness of 475 mg/L.
This is very hard water and not general-
ly suitable for MWFs. High chlorides can
lead to rust. The staining issue at this
plant was wrongly identified, but it was
actually the rust. In a later analysis, the
Figure 12. Cast iron grinding experiment: fluid separation.
recirculated water had a chloride level
of 285 mg/L. At this level of chloride,
rust is expected on fresh cut iron alloy
metal surfaces. Size and Rate of Metal Being Machined (in relation to volume of coolant)
The water amount that enters the
system, depending on the volume, can be
very destructive (see Table 7 on page 43). Most Destructive Grinding, polishing, ball grinding
In the metal-cutting process, the water
phase of the MWF generally evaporates
faster than the oil or synthetic phase. The
Mildly Destructive Sawing, CBN grinding, milling
salts in the water stay behind. As the salts
from the incoming water enter into the Least Destructive Single point turning
fluid, they “cycle up” and become more
concentrated due to evaporation. The
destructive effects increase because the
Key Words: Size and rate of chips cut; volume of fluid surface area of
concentration of the contaminants (salts)
metal removed / volume of fluid
in the water increases. Table 3. Size and rate of metal being machined (in relation to volume of coolant).

40 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 Type of Water Entering the System Sample 2 (see Figure 14) shows five cy-
cles of concentration; this MWF is barely
holding together. Note the “cream” layer
Most Destructive Hard water above 10 grain hardness residue at the top of the beaker.
(170) PPM
• Premium emulsified oil
Low pH water (Below 7.0)
• 5% by volume
• Water 600 ppm
Target Water purity less than 1 grain hardness • After five concentration cycles.
pH of 7.0 or higher
Less than 15 PPM total dissolved solids For cation attack, both
reactive metal fines and
Synthetic Synthetic Component + Fatty Acid + Anionic Wetting
hard water salts can cause
Agent + Rust Preventative + Buffer + Biocide an MWF to fail.
Sample 3 (see Figure 14) shows fluid af-
Key Words: Hard water, total dissolved solids, pH ter 10 cycles of concentration; the fluid has
Table 4. Type of water entering the system. completely separated. This represents the
isolation of one reaction. No metal fines
were present, no tramp oil and no bacteria,
but the MWF still split. This is another form
of cation attack on an MWF.
• Premium emulsified oil
• 5% by volume
• Water 1,200 ppm
• 10 concentration cycles.
To summarize, there is one group
Figure 13. Surface area generated by machining—6
mac g square
q feet become 35,720
3 20 squaare feet.
of failure mechanisms that are positive-
ly charged cations and another group
with key components that are negatively
charged. For cation attack, both reactive
metal fines and hard water salts can cause
an MWF to fail. Reactive metal fines and
hard water salts can both be present in the
manufacturing environment (see Figure
15 on page 43). It is like links of a chain: if
the chemical links in an MWF formula are
destabilized, then the MWF also is desta-
bilized and can cream out and ultimately
phase separate.

Initial 5X 10 X Pure water usage in

machining operations
Figure 14. Premium emulsified oil—effects of evaporation and water at 120 ppm hardness. Although there are many advantages of
using low hardness and low anion water
for MWFs, there are two potential disad-
Figure 14 shows a premium emulsi- The water phase was evaporated very vantages. Hard water soaps have some
fied oil: a side-by-side comparison of the slowly over the course of days to build up level of lubricity. Using pure water with-
three cycles of concentration. Note that salts in the water. The starting hardness out hardness will not create soaps, and
only water was added as the water phase is 120 ppm (120 mg/L). tool life can diminish in some operations
evaporated. Salts stayed behind and split • Premium emulsified oil like tapping and reaming (see Pure Water
the MWF. • 5% by volume Myths: True or False on page 44). Also, hard
Sample 1 (see Figure 14) shows an MWF • Water 120 ppm water soaps can weaken the emulsion,
that is stable in 600 ppm hardness water. • Initial concentration. but that also will lessen foam generation.

WWW.STLE.ORG TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY APRIL 2023 • 41

 WEBINAR

CANTON WATER DEPARTMENT, WATER ANALYSIS - 2003

INORGANIC DATE SAMPLING NORTHEAST NORTHWEST SUGARCREEK MCL

CONTAMINANTS SAMPLED FREQUENCY WATER PLANT WATER PLANT WATER PLANT

ALKALINITY, Aug. 02 MONTHLY 238 288 201 NA

mg/l AS CaCO3

ALKALINITY STABILITY, mg/l Aug. 02 MONTHLY 238 276 188 NA

AS CaCO3

ASBESTOS, FIBERS 9-1-95 NA <200,000 <200,000 <200,000 7 Million

>10μm length/l

CALCIUM TOTAL, 2-25-98 NA 358 369 270 NA

mg/l as CaCO3

CHLORIDE, mg/l Aug. 96 MONTHLY 90 90 32 250

CHLORINE, FREE mg/l, Aug. 02 DAILY 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.2 Minimum
Daily Min.

CYANIDE TOTAL, 9-18-95 NA <0.005 <0.005 <0.005 0.2

as (CN) mg/l

FLUORIDE, mg/l Aug. 02 DAILY 1.1 1.0 1.1 4.0

TOTAL HARDNESS, mg/l Aug. 02 MONTHLY 406 475 369 NA

as CaCO3

TOTAL HARDNESS, Aug. 02 MONTHLY 24 28 22 NA

grains per gal.

MAGNESIUM TOTAL, 2-25-98 NA 115 119 91 NA

mg/l as CaCO3

NITRATE, mg/l NO3 as N 9-16-02 NA <0.1 <0.1 <0.1 10.0

NITRITE, mg/l NO2 as N 7-28-98 NA <0.1 <0.1 <0.1 1

pH Aug. 02 WEEKLY 7.1 7.1 7.6 WITHIN 6.5-8.5

TURBIDITY, NTU Aug. 02 WEEKLY 0.06 0.18 0.14 1.00

ANTIMONY ug/l 9-12-01 EVERY 3 YRS <3.0 <3.0 <3.0 6

ARSENIC ug/l 9-12-01 EVERY 3 YRS <3.0 <3.0 <3.0 50

BARIUM ug/l 12-9-96 NA <300 <300 <300 2000

BERYLLIUM ug/l 9-12-01 EVERY 3 YRS <.5 <.5 <.5 4

CADMIUM ug/l 12-9-96 NA <1.0 <1.0 <1.0 5

CHROMIUM ug/l 12-9-96 NA <10.0 <10.0 <10.0 100

COPPER ug/l 12-9-96 NA <50 <50 <50 1300

IRON mg/l Aug. 02 WEEKLY 0.032 0.070 0.035 0.300

LEAD ug/l 12-9-96 NA <1 <1 <1 15

MANGANESE mg/l Aug. 02 WEEKLY 0.030 0.031 0.030 0.05

MERCURY ug/l 12-9-96 NA <0.5 <0.5 <0.5 2

NICKEL ug/l 9-12-01 EVERY 3 YRS <10.0 <10.0 <10.0 100

SELENIUM ug/l 12-9-96 NA <5 <5 <5 50

SILVER ug/l 9-18-95 NA <0.8 <0.8 <0.8 100

SODIUM mg/l Aug. 99 NA 44 55 15 NA

THALLIUM ug/l 9-12-01 EVERY 3 YRS <1.0 <1.0 <1.0 2

TOTAL Aug. 02 Qrtly 16.7 13.2 22.6 80

TRIHALOMETHANES ug/l

ZINC mg/l 12-9-98 NA <0.02 <0.02 <0.02 5

Table 5. Example of a 2003 water analysis from Canton, Ohio.

42 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG
 Inorganic Sampling North Well West Well South Well
Contaminant Frequency Field Field Field

Calcium Monthly 358 369 270

Hardness Quarterly 408 475 369

Magnesium Quarterly 115 119 91

Sodium Monthly 44 55 15

Chloride Monthly 90 90 32

Table 6. Example of a 2003 water analysis from Canton, Ohio, sources (wells) are separated.

Without these hard water soaps, foam is a

possible outcome and is a potential reduc- Amount of Water Entering the System per Day
tion in tool life.
Advantages of using pure water:
Most Destructive 10% or greater of system volume per day
• Easier mixing
• Smaller particle size
• Improved wetting and penetration Least Destructive 5 - 7% of system volume per day
• Minimizes gummy residues
• Improved filtration
• Less carry-off
Mildly Destructive 1 - 2% of system volume per day
• Greater bacterial resistance
Loss must be by evaporation, not by carry out
• Greater fungus resistance
• Reduced corrosion Table 7. Amount of water entering the system per day.
• Less concentrate use
• Less mist
• Better overall stability.
Disadvantages of using pure water:
• May lessen tool life in some
operations
• Increases risk of generating foam.

Failure mechanism #2: Anions

Not only the cations, but the anions require
attention, too (see Table 8 on page 44). The
most devastating of all the anions found
in a wastewater treatment are chlorides.
Chloride levels as low as 120 ppm can
cause rust on iron alloy surfaces. There
is no practical treatment to stop chloride
corrosion once the corrosion starts. High Figure 15. MWF failure schematic.
levels of sulfates and phosphates are
nutrients for microorganisms, therefore
supporting microbial growth issues that
may require further treatment.

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 WEBINAR

Figure 16 on page 46 shows a tradi-

Those Nasty Anions
tional dual bed deionizer system, which is
one method to remove cations and anions
Enemy #1 Chloride Cl = Corrosion
from incoming water used to dilute MWFs.
These systems can be referred to as de- Sulfate SO4 = Major Food
ionization or demineralization processes.
These typically use hydrochloric acid and Phosphate PO4 = Major Food
sodium hydroxide for regeneration. If the
system fails, then hydrochloric acid or so- Nitrate, Nitrite NO3, NO2 = Food
dium hydroxide can enter the MWF. Op-
erating caution and periodic maintenance Carbonate CO3 = Food
are recommended. Extremely pure wa-
ter can be obtained by this method, with Table 8. Negative effect of anions on MWF, being “food” sources for bacteria.
conductivity less than 1.0 microsiemens/
meter (µS/M).

For every 100 gallons of

water starting, only 70
gallons can be recovered
as treated water, and
the remaining water (30
gallons) is rejected. Pure water myths: True or false
Statements
RO is a more popular and simpler pro- 1. Softened water is OK for use in coolants.
cess when water is abundant (see Figure 17
2. Rainwater or air conditioning condensate is OK for coolants.
on page 46). The final water conductivity
can be as low as 5.0 microsiemens/meter. 3. Pure water has a pH of 7.0.
Typically, the membranes can reject up to 4. One water analysis is all I need to make further decisions about my water concerns.
99.7% sodium chloride (NaCl) and other Answers
contaminates. Pretreatment can be by a
1. False. Water purified by a sodium chloride regenerated softener will leave white
traditional sodium chloride water softener
deposits and increases the risk of chloride corrosion.
or by the use of anti-scalants. Membranes,
with proper care and pretreatment, can last 2. False. While the rainwater may be soft, when it hits the roof, it is full of dirt
upward of three years. Cold water flows and bacteria, fungus and algae—the same for air conditioning coils.
more slowly through RO membranes ver- 3. True but only for a while. It absorbs carbon dioxide from the air and turns acid,
sus warm water. Water temperature vari- as low as 5.5 pH. Even though the water can be as low as 5.5 pH, it is
ations need to be considered when sizing weakly buffered and generally will not affect the final diluted pH of an MWF
RO systems. For every 100 gallons of water that is highly buffered at pH 9.0 or above.
starting, only 70 gallons can be recovered 4. False. Most water sources wary considerably: seasonally and sometimes
as treated water, and the remaining water even hourly.
(30 gallons) is rejected. Therefore, RO sys-
tems may not be suitable for use in arid
areas or where water is scarce. A word to the wise: fortified the oil for whatever its purpose,
However, all water conditioning sys- • Never totally trust a water the more harm it can cause to the metal-
tems (water purification systems) can fail purification system. working emulsion (see Table 9 on page 46).
or be bypassed. In addition: • Always check. Tramp oil (see Figure 18 on page 47) is
• They can actually produce worse wa- never just “petroleum oil.” It contains ad-
ter than the water it was started with. ditives that can wreak havoc with most
Failure mechanism #3: Tramp oil
• They can confuse users into thinking MWFs. The additive packages in tramp
Tramp oil is a term that describes any un-
that the water is treated when it is not. oil can transfer into the water phase or
desired oil (typically from leaks) in MWF.
• They can fail intermittently, and/or into the oil phase of an emulsion. The
The additives in hydraulic oils, way oils,
without warning. negative effects of tramp oil are not easi-
spindle oils and gearbox oils are just as
ly reversible (see Tramp Oil Myths: True or
problematic as the oil itself. The more
False on page 48).

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 WEBINAR

Here are key tramp oil failure theories:

• Sharing of the emulsifier—
the hydrophilic-lipophilic balance
(HLB) theory
° Too much oil, not enough emulsifi-
er, fluid starts splitting
• Reactivity of the zinc dialkyldithio-
phosphate (ZDDP) molecule
° Sulfur and phosphorus availability;
food for bacteria (bacterial nutrients)
• Dispersants and de-emulsifiers in
hydraulic oil upset the HLB balance.
Figure 16. Traditional dual bed deionizer system.
All three theories are valid. The HLB
of a surfactant is a measure of the degree
to which it is hydrophilic or lipophilic. Add
too much tramp oil with a fixed amount of
emulsifier and the emulsion starts to cream
out. There are many scientific articles writ-
ten about the HLB theory.

Tramp oil is a term

that describes any undesired
oil (typically from leaks)
in MWF.

Failure mechanism #4:

Lack of pH control
Generally, the pH of an MWF will decline
over time. It is a misconception that main-
taining a high pH will eliminate issues
with microorganisms. The surfactants and Figure 17. RO water system.
emulsifiers used in MWFs are designed to
perform best in the range of 9.0 or above.
Too high a pH can result in dermatitis and
eye, nose and throat irritation. Type and Amount of Hydraulic and Way Oils Entering the System
Failure to control pH can result from
several different causes:
Most Destructive Certain premium hydraulic oils - Those fluids known
• Amines can evaporate and as both anti-wear and rust and oxidation types and
pH will drop. emulsifying way oils
° This can happen more in
winter (low humidity) than
summer months. Mildly Destructive Rust and oxidation oils
• Certain microorganisms as
they proliferate will release acids Least Destructive Hydraulic and way oils not based on traditional
and thus lower pH. organo-metallic phosphate chemistry (ashless)
• There are acceptable operational
ranges for traditional MWFs. Key Words: Zinc dialkyldithiophosphate, Anti-Wear, Rust and
The correct range for pH is between Oxidation, Emulsifying Way Oils
9.0 and 9.3 (see Figure 19). Many premium
Table 9. Type and amount of hydraulic and way oils enter the system.
fluids have sufficient alkalinity reserve to

46 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 maintain pH within this range for extend- Unfortunately, part of the problem Basic failure model:
ed periods. Seasonal variations (such as is that microorganisms can grow in a Water diluted fluids
low humidity) and/or operating at tem- certain part of a machinery, which are It is rare that just one failure mechanism is
peratures above 120 F can result in loss called “dead spots.” In other words, causing an MWF failure. Typically, multiple
of amines and subsequent decline in pH. dead spots are any area of a machine failure mechanisms act in combination to
fluid system that does not have continu- render a fluid ineffective.
Failure mechanism #5: Lack of al flow of the MWF (see Figure 20 on page Figure 23 on page 50 shows an exces-
control of microorganisms 48). These dead spots can be piles of wet sive tramp oil that can be a food source for
Control of microorganisms in MWF is chips, blocked chip troughs or partially bacteria. Both the tramp oil and the bac-
a complex subject. In recent surveys of blocked piping or piping with dead or teria levels need to be controlled and not
machine shops, odors attributable to bac- unused sections. These areas are sig- just one or the other. It is for this reason as
teria and/or fungus were the No. 1 com- nificant contributors for adding to the shown that all failure mechanisms need to
plaint or concern. microbial population of the metalwork- be addressed and not just one for effective
Maintenance of an effective biological ing system. control of an MWF.
control program is critical as: Figure 21 on page 48 shows a chip
• Antimicrobial pesticides (i.e., bio- flume that was almost completely blocked. Dead spots are any area of
cides) are regulated by EPA. This plant had severe biological issues. a machine fluid system
• Too little may be worse than none Figure 22 on page 48 shows a case that does not have continual
where tramp oil and chips are accumulating
at all; resistant strains can grow flow of the MWF.
in the fluid. in a corner of a machine tool sump with a
• If some is good, more is not better; minimal coolant circulation. All these dead Waiting for a coolant to fail and then
this will result in a worker irritation. spots examples cause havoc with any MWF. applying a corrective action will simply
not work, i.e., if an MWF fluid is pushed to
failure, it cannot be recovered into a like-
new fluid (see Figure 24 on page 50).
Figure 25 on page 50 shows that the
proper way to control MWF failure is to
address failure mechanisms as they occur,
and not after the fact.

Focus on failure mechanisms

Figure 26 on page 50 shows MWF’s five
failure mechanisms, but there also are less
common failure mechanisms that can be
of an issue.
Basic corrective actions are intend-
ed to be basic methods that an average
manufacturing facility can follow. They
Figure 18. Tramp oil schematic. are not intended to correct every problem
that can occur.
Addressing all five basic mechanisms
will likely result in success, but not in all
cases. It may take a bit of study and investi-
gation to determine if any of the additional
failure mechanisms also are acting on the
fluid causing failure.

Counteracting failure mechanism #1:

Cation attack from metals
Effective filtration is a key. It is important to
start at 30 microns with high loft filter me-
Figure 19. pH ranges for MWF management. dia (typically with a weight of 2.5 ounces
per square yard). After experimentation,

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 WEBINAR

the filter micron level can be lowered to 20

microns and then 10 microns. For emul-
sion type products, it is recommended
Tramp oil myths: True or false Answers not to use filter media below 10 microns.
Statements 1. False. The current general practice For true solution synthetic fluids, it is im-
in the industry is to remove tramp portant to not go below 2 microns. Also,
1. If I add emulsifiers to the coolant mix,
oils as soon as practical and not let a good practice advised starts with a
I will eliminate the effects of
them become part of the MWF. polyester media. Polypropylene media
tramp oil contamination.
2. False. The oil phase of “tramp oil” has an affinity for oil-like products such
2. A centrifuge will solve my tramp oil as petroleum oil and fatty acids. If there
is soluble to other oil-like products
problems and not remove the is a need to wick out a large release of
in the original MWF and will be
original emulsion product. tramp oil, then polypropylene media may
removed together.
be considered.

Counteracting failure mechanism

#1: Cation attack from metals
fix dead spots
Dead spots can contribute to a host of is-
sues, mostly biological in nature. It may
require a significant level of investigation
to identify all the dead spots in a system.

Counteracting failure mechanisms

#1 and 2: Cation and
anion attack from water
RO should be the first choice for water pu-
rification. Small users of water can benefit
from “service exchange” rental deioniza-
tion tanks where the resins are regener-
ated off site. These services are available
Figure 20. Example of a dead spot in a machining area.
in most major cities.

Figure 21. Example of a dead spot in a machining area. Figure 22. Example of a dead spot in a machining area.

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 WEBINAR

Counteracting failure mechanism

#3: Tramp oil
Although not always practical, fixing the
tramp oil ingress is the best approach.
Then, if the leaks cannot be f ixed,
installation of a continuous tramp oil re-
moval system is required. Also, usage of a
lower level of additives in the hydraulic oil
system should be considered, but only Figure 23. Basic failure model: water diluted fluids.
if the hydraulic pressures are below 600
psig and hydraulic fluid temperatures are
controlled below 160 F.
Note: Once the tramp oil is fully ho-
mogenized into the MWF (about two to
three days), it will be nearly impossible
to remove the tramp oil without remov-
ing the original MWF component(s). The
metal being machined also contributes to
the overall reaction as well as the particle
size of the metal being machined.
Additionally, zinc is a highly regulat-
Figure 24. Ineffective approach to an MWF recovery.
ed metal and can interact with amines
in MWFs. Zinc is found in many areas in
the manufacturing plant. When piping
MWF for distribution in a manufactur-
ing plant, it is recommended to use black
steel pipes and not galvanized pipes or
PVC pipes.

Primary and tertiary

amines are acceptable for
pH boosting.

Counteracting failure mechanism #4:

Loss of pH
For pH control, adjustments are needed
Figure 25. Effective approach to an MWF recovery.
with primary or tertiary alkanolamines
such as monoethanolamine, triethanol-
amine and monoisopropanolamine.
Primary and tertiary amines are ac-
ceptable for pH boosting. These have re-
serve alkalinity and do not significantly
contribute to the overall conductivity of
the fluid. Sodium or potassium hydroxide
are highly alkaline but have little alkaline
reserve. These hydroxides can, over time,
contribute to an increase in conductivity
of a fluid leading to overall fluid instability.
If the pH is below 8.3, when adding a pH
booster, an ammonia release can occur. It
is important to test the pH boosting addi-
Figure 26. Five basic failure mechanisms.
tive in a beaker before adding to an actual
working or in-process MWF system.

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 with only a small amount of tramp oil pres-
ent. After 24 hours of settling, the condition
of the same fluid is more revealing, and a
component separation can be observed
without any additional equipment.

MWFs play a vital role

in the machinery
of metal products.

MWF concentration
Some MWFs have 20 or more components,
so to know the actual concentration of
each ingredient would be time consuming
Figure 27. Basic demonstration of MWF stability.
and costly. However, there are basic ways
to determine effective methods to measure
MWF concentration for a metal-removal
Determine an effective method to measure MWF concentration operation (see Table 10).
for your metal removal operations
Conclusion
MWFs play a vital role in the machinery of
Good Refractometer metal products. However, they are com-
posed of a range of chemical constituents,
which make them vulnerable to numerous
Better Acid split (good for emulsion fluids) and tramp oil
failure mechanisms. It is critical to under-
split, refractometer
stand the most common failure mecha-
nisms discussed in this article as well as the
Best Acid split, tramp oil split, refractometer, alkalinity most effective ways to combat them.
titration, anionic titration*, biocide titration*
Dr. Yulia Sosa is a freelance writer based in
*Usually performed by MWF supplier or with special test kits Peachtree City, Ga. You can contact her at
[email protected].
Table 10. MWF concentration measurement methods.

1. Agapiou, J. S. (2018), “Performance

Counteracting failure mechanism #5: Understanding when the fluid evaluation of cutting fluids with carbon
Biological degradation has failed nano-onions as lubricant additives,” Procedia
If there are dead spots in the MWF system, Since any fluid will eventually fail, to im- Manufacturing, 26, pp. 1429-1440.
the biocide will not be effective in those prove the results, it is important to start
areas. While controlling microbial activity, with a robust technology that has the fol-
few approaches are likely to assist: lowing characteristics:
• Antimicrobial pesticides (biocides) • Reserve emulsifiers
should be used selectively. • Reserve alkalinity
• Microbe activity should be moni- • Reserve corrosion inhibition
tored (controlled with dip slides at • Good biostability.
minimum). In addition, it is important to deter-
• If some biocide is good, more is not mine if the fluid is stable in a machine
better (highly irritating to workers). environment. An easy test for stability is
• Dead spots need to identified to hold fluid in a glass bottle, jar or beaker
and fixed. and observe it after 24 hours of settling.
Figure 27 shows basic demonstration of
MWF stability. The fluid on the left would
generally appear to be acceptable for use

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F E A T U RE
FE

Varnish: Root causes,

detection and remediation
Varnish continues to be an issue, but better tests
and better abatement technologies are reducing
the damage varnish inflicts across industries.

By Jeanna Van Rensselar

Senior Feature Writer

D
espite advancements in terms of The term “varnish” is commonly used
detection and remediation, the as a catchall for byproducts of oil degra-
issue of varnish is not going away dation. From the moment the lubricant
any time soon. So, the question is: What’s enters the machine, it begins to degrade,
the best way to live with it? Regular oil anal- and additives deplete. This becomes con-
ysis has always been critical for detecting cerning when the additives are reduced
KEY CONCEPTS
build-up early, and now varnish removal to a point where they can no longer pro-
Oil analysis, i.e., MPC, RULER and APC, is technology is getting more effective. vide protection for the equipment. This
still the best way to detect varnish, but other STLE member Dr. Matthew G. Hobbs, also is the stage at which degradation
technologies, such as vibration analysis, manager, technical services, research and greatly accelerates.
make sense in some situations. development, EPT Clean Oil, explains, Sanya Mathura, MLE, MLT II, VPR,
“Unfortunately, varnish formation is an VIM, managing director, Strategic Reliabil-
Between solvency enhancing additives,
inevitability. Lubricant users can miti- ity Solutions Ltd., compares varnish to cho-
filtration and ion-exchange resins, there are
gate their risk of varnishing by selecting lesterol in the human body. “It can build up
proven ways to remove the varnish once
high-quality oils, but eventually all oil— in our arteries and eventually cause clogs
it has formed.
regardless of formulation—will degrade. that restrict blood flow,” she says. “Choles-
Detection and remediation aren’t enough— That breakdown can lead to varnish forma- terol can be controlled through proper diet,
the key to addressing the problem is getting tion if it is not managed. The best way to exercise and with some condition monitor-
to the root cause. protect against varnish formation is not to ing in the form of blood tests. Similarly, a
allow breakdown products to accumulate.” couple of approaches can be engaged to

52 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 reduce the build-up of varnish or eliminate temperatures to rise. The bubble in- particular technologies such as solubility
it altogether.” terface usually has some carbon accu- enhancers or specifically engineered filtra-
mulation and then implodes. This can tion media that can be effective at remov-
Oil degradation and how it occurs be through a high implosion pressure, ing varnish. However, this technology is
While “varnish” loosely refers to any form which results in soot, tars or sludge, heavily reliant on the type of varnish being
of deposit originating in lubricant, oil can or through a low implosion pressure, formed and can be customized as per the
degrade through several different mecha- which can form carbon insolubles such system accordingly (see Issues With the Term
nisms, each requiring various conditions as coke, tars or resins. “Varnish” on page 54).”
for degradation to occur. So, just as import- 4. Electrostatic spark discharge.
ant as detecting varnish is slowing further This may be classified under thermal The term ‘varnish’ is
degradation by determining how it formed. degradation since it involves tempera- commonly used as
According to Mathura, there are six major tures over 10,000 C. With this mecha- a catchall for byproducts
lubricant degradation mechanisms.1 Each nism, oil builds up static electricity at a
mechanism has unique environmental fac-
of oil degradation.
molecular level. Eventually, the static
tors that contribute to producing different will build to a point where it produces
types of deposits. Oil analysis for detecting
a spark, and free radicals are formed. varnish formation
1. Oxidation. This is the most common This can lead to uncontrolled polym- STLE member Mary Messuti, president
form of degradation. During the oxida- erization producing varnish, sludge or of Eurofins TestOil, observes, “Varnish
tion process, there is a decline in the other insoluble materials. One of the deposits adhere to metal surfaces in pip-
concentration of antioxidants typically signs of this mechanism is the pres- ing, valves, strainers and heat exchangers.
evaluated using the Remaining Useful ence of burnt patches of membranes They decrease clearance zones, increase
Life Evaluation Routine (RULER) test. on the filters. friction and lead to higher operating tem-
Eventually, the antioxidants become
5. Additive depletion. Additives are peratures and ultimately increased wear
depleted, and the free radicals begin
sacrificial and will be depleted over rates. Oil analysis should be considered a
attacking the base oil. During this stage,
time. This type of degradation can mandatory tool for any system susceptible
polymerization can occur, which leads
produce two types of deposits: organ- to varnish. By closely monitoring the con-
to the formation of deposits within the
ic and inorganic. The organic deposits taminants that lead to varnish, reliability
lubricant. When these deposits occur,
are typically reacted rust and oxidation engineers can take appropriate correc-
they can get lodged in the smaller
additives. Alternatively, inorganic de- tive action before costly damage and un-
clearances (particularly servo valves),
posits such as zinc dialkyldithiophos- planned downtime occur.”
which leads to possible malfunctioning
phate (ZDDP) can deplete and form a RULER oil analysis can provide ear-
of the equipment. Due to the nature of
tenacious layer. The depletion of ZDDP ly detection of oxidation. According to
varnish, it can act as an insulating lay-
will impact the rate of wear since this is Mathura, RULER analysis will show that
er, which increases the temperature
the antiwear additive. the concentration of phenols will typical-
throughout the equipment.
ly deplete more quickly than the amines.
6. Contamination. This may be the
2. Thermal degradation. During ther- “This can provide the analyst with a good
most unrecognized form of degrada-
mal degradation, the oil can experience overview of the amount of oxidation that
tion. This mode of degradation can be
temperatures in excess of 200 C. At has taken place in the lubricant,” she
the initiator of other mechanisms such
200 C, the oil is cooked and produces explains. “Unfortunately, other oil analysis
as oxidation, thermal degradation or
carbon-based deposits, which is the tests, such as viscosity and acid number,
even microdieseling. When contam-
characteristic type of deposit for this only show significant changes after the
inated with a foreign material in the
mechanism. The Fourier transform in- deposits have been formed. At this time,
lubricant, the foreign material can be-
frared (FTIR) analysis test is particular- it may be too late to implement technol-
come a catalyst for one of the other
ly useful in identifying the presence of ogies to mitigate against the formation
forms of degradation.
these deposits. of varnish.”
3. Microdieseling. This is a form of ther- Mathura concludes that identification Among the other oil analysis tests
mal degradation. During microdiesel- of the type of degradation mechanism Mathura is referring to and the test she
ing, air becomes entrained in the oil can aid in slowing the formation of var- finds most useful for evaluation is mem-
and moves from a low-pressure zone nish and/or filtering it. “Varnish exists in brane patch colorimetry (MPC) (ASTM
to a high-pressure zone. If the oil does various forms and can consist of differing D7843), which provides insight into the
not have good air release properties, compositions,” she says. “Hence, it is im- approximate amount of insoluble varnish
then the entrained air will not make portant to understand the characteristics in the system. The results are segmented
its way to the surface to dissipate. This of the varnish being formed in a system into three main ranges that identify the se-
entrained bubble in the oil can cause before attempting to eliminate it. There are verity of the varnish.

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 FEATURE

“This test is unique in that it allows for

the simultaneous detection of insoluble and
Issues with the term “varnish”
soluble varnish in an oil sample,” Hobbs
notes. “Since a fluid’s likelihood of forming STLE Fellow Dr. John K. Duchowski, CLS, OMA I and II, corporate director R&D filtration,
harmful varnish deposits relates to both of HYDAC FluidCareCenter® GmbH, is not a fan of the term “varnish” because it doesn’t
these varnish levels, this test is unique in specify the cause. “It is a word which I intensely dislike,” he says. “It is meant to sound
that it allows for the evaluation of an oil’s technical but is anything but—in many cases it ignores the oil and application type and
true varnish potential. Other tests may is ubiquitously applied across the board. There is talk of ‘varnish’ in phosphate ester
prove useful for evaluating insoluble levels hydraulic systems, turbine lube oil systems, paper machine oils, etc. So, any (say) soft
(particle count, etc.) or soluble breakdown insoluble material is then called ‘varnish’ without any attention being paid to how it
levels (acid number, FTIR oxidation, etc.), could have formed.”
but these largely fail to capture the overall He observes that when insolubles form, they may at first appear gummy or gelatinous
varnish picture for most oil samples. MPC but look like cracked mud when dried. “All of these are then simply lumped together
allows end-users to do just that.” in the same statement, ‘You have varnish in your system,’” he says. “Then the focus
oftentimes is on ‘varnish removal’ with not much attention to the root cause. And this,
‘Oil analysis should be in turn, very often means that once the existing ‘varnish’ is flushed from the system,
considered a mandatory it is very likely to return after a certain time interval because the root cause has not
tool for any system been addressed.”
susceptible to varnish.’
STLE Fellow Dr. John K. Duchowski, that too can be misleading if a viscosity highly recommended. Sticking to one
CLS, OMA I and II, corporate direc- index improver, such as polymethyl meth- method and carrying it out in a consistent
tor R&D filtration, HYDAC FluidCare- acrylate (PMMA), has been blended into manner should nevertheless provide suf-
Center ® GmbH, observes that there are the oil. Moreover, it’s debatable if IR spec- ficient advanced warning on the rate of
several notable drawbacks of MPC, in- troscopy can be used in a truly quantita- varnish build-up. Here, I would most likely
cluding preparation as well as the very tive manner because the intrinsic band vote for the MPC as long as it is carried out
narrow field of sample interrogation with intensities vary widely depending on the in a consistent manner as described in the
a hand-held pen-like ref lectance UV- so-called oscillator strength. Without go- ASTM procedure.”
vis spectrophotometer. “The material de- ing into too much detail, one only needs Mathura agrees that vibration analysis
posited on the membrane has to be really to look at the spectrum of acetone where can be helpful. “There have been instances
homogeneously deposited to reduce or a single –C=O carbonyl group easily ‘out- where shafts in rotating equipment have
eliminate variation in patch luminosity shines’ 6 –C-H3 in intensity.” been moved due to the build-up varnish,”
(lightness or darkness) in order to ob- she says. “When vibration analysis is used,
tain a representative result,” he cautions. Methods, other than oil analysis, for it can detect any small changes in the align-
“I would prefer to see a method where detecting varnish formation ment of the shaft in rotating equipment.
the sample preparation plays a minimal While oil analysis is by far the most com- As varnish continues to build on the inside
role or no role at all and the entire UV- mon method for detecting varnish, there of the component, vibration analysis can
vis wavelength range (350 nm-750 nm) are other tests that are best for some ap- detect if the shaft is misaligned. This may
is scanned.” plications. An example is vibration analysis be easy to miss as sometimes the varnish,
While MPC may be the most common and bearings. which has built up, can be wiped away
method for detecting varnish, other tests “In some cases, when high levels of causing the shaft to resume its proper align-
may include automatic particle count varnish are present, it may form deposits ment. Thus, analysis technologies should
(APC)2 at room and elevated temperatures on bearing surfaces, particularly on journal be used in tandem before conclusions are
(80 C) to allow the organic insolubles to bearing pads that offer a larger surface area made about the presence of varnish.”
redissolve in the warmer oil. for deposit formation,” Duchowski says. Because there is such a strong link
Duchowski says, “In some cases, an “In severe cases, this can translate into el- between varnish and temperature—
ultracentrifuge also may be employed. evated bearing temperatures and vibration. especially since it forms an insulating
The use of a centrifuge may be mislead- But it is highly advisable not to let things layer and traps heat—Mathura says that
ing because it will knock out both organic go that far. monitoring temperature fluctuations also
and inorganic particulate as well as water. “So, consequently, some way of mon- can be helpful. “Bearings that are experi-
Arguably, you also can use infrared spec- itoring varnish content on a continuous encing varnish tend to display increases
troscopy (IR) and look for the presence basis and having the ability to implement in temperature,” she explains. “Typical-
of a carbonyl group with a very sharp, appropriate corrective action well in ad- ly, these temperature patterns assume
well-defined band at ca. 1,725 cm —1, but vance of bearing failure would be most a sawtooth pattern where temperatures

54 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 FEATURE

rise continuously as the varnish builds degrade, this can eventually lead to Both Duchowski and Mathura con-
up. Then someone wipes away the var- more significant varnish problems. clude that the key to varnish control lies
nish, and there is a drastic reduction in These products tend to defer varnish in identifying the root cause mechanism.
temperature. This sawtooth pattern of problems but do not offer a true solu- “Oil health monitoring needs to be a
temperature variation is characteristic of tion, Hajiahmad says. well-rounded program that includes sev-
varnish formation.” eral variables,” Duchowski says. “It is not
2. Conventional filtration. Regardless
possible to base everything on particle
of the specific filtration technology,
The combination of filtration this strategy is limited in that it fails to
count or varnish content. Moreover, the
and solubility enhancers remove soluble varnish and its precur-
variables should not be evaluated in iso-
can be quite effective. lation but examined to find commonalities
sors. Since this varnish is dissolved, it
in behaviors and trends. Ultimately, oil
passes right through conventional fil-
She adds that, in some cases, the for- condition monitoring belongs in the realm
ters at typical operating temperatures.
mation of localized deposits on bearing of chemistry and physics and should be
“These products improve particle
surfaces may cause temperature escala- examined from that point of view. A more
count and can even remove insoluble
tions without a corresponding MPC in- thorough understanding of the underlying
varnish, but they fail to solve varnish
crease. In this case, the bulk oil may not processes in terms of the occurring chem-
problems since they fail to address
show any form of degradation, yet tem- ical and physical processes will translate
their root cause: soluble varnish,” Haji-
perature excursions may be experienced into an improved understanding of the root
ahmad clarifies.
at the bearing surface. cause and effect relationship. This will im-
3. Ion-exchange resins. This involves prove our capabilities for the implementa-
the use of ion-exchange resin-based tion of the most suitable remedial action.”
Varnish removal
soluble varnish removal systems.
Khashayar Hajiahmad, lubrication man-
Well-engineered ion-exchange resins The key to varnish control
agement specialist, MLA III, MLT II, VPR,
can selectively remove soluble var- lies in identifying the
VIM certified, EPT Clean Oil business
nish and its precursors (acids, oil oxi-
development manager, notes that tur-
dation products, etc.). Hajiahmad says
root cause mechanism.
bomachinery users are changing from a
that removing these contaminants ad- Mathura sums up, “There is no cookie-
predictive maintenance strategy, perform-
dresses the root cause of varnish prob- cutter method to eliminate varnish from a
ing oil analysis and changing the oil when
lems and allows oil to be maintained system, since it is a complex deposit. Sim-
needed, toward proactive maintenance,
in a like-new state. ilar to practices we observe with our bod-
applying filtration technologies to avoid or
remove varnish. But there are limits. ies in the instances of cholesterol build-up,
According to Mathura, the combina-
“Mechanical filtration, electrostatic we can employ methods of dissolving the
tion of filtration and solubility enhancers
or deep filtration methods remove only varnish and removing it while monitoring
can be quite effective. “Solubility en-
solids and, thus, need to wait for insoluble for possible recurrences in the future.”
hancers solubilize the varnish back into
varnish to form,” he says. “They do not ad- the oil solution. When these deposits are
dress the root cause, which is chemistry Jeanna Van Rensselar heads her own com-
reintroduced into the oil, they can then
related. Oxidation byproducts are polar, munication/public relations firm,
be removed using resin-based filtration.
saturate the lubricant and finally become Smart PR Communications, in Naperville,
With this method, the media is specifi-
insoluble. Addressing soluble varnish and Ill. You can reach her at jeanna@
cally designed to allow for the adsorption
removing the molecules not needed in the smartprcommunications.com.
and removal of the varnish, which pres-
oil while they form is the right approach ently exists in the oil.”
for varnish removal.”
Hobbs explains that there are three 1. Mathura, S. (2020), Lubrication Degradation
Conclusions Mechanisms (CRC Press Focus Shortform
strategies for mitigating varnish.
Duchowski cautions against spend- Book Program), 1st ed., CRC Press.
1. Solvency enhancing additives. ing too much time searching online 2. The automatic particle count (APC)
These increase varnish solubility in an for solutions to varnish issues. Instead, method is the ISO 11500:2008 procedure,
he recommends books by industry “Hydraulic fluid power — Determination
oil and can redissolve previously de-
of the particulate contamination level of a
posited varnish. They do not remove experts and scientif ic articles (pref- liquid sample by automatic particle count-
it but suspend it within the oil instead. erably in peer-reviewed journals)— ing using the light-extinction principle.”
As varnish continues to accumulate all of this followed by timely action. “Very
or the solvency enhancers themselves often, too much online research can result
in analysis paralysis,” he says.

56 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

NEWSMAKERS

TOP STORIES

Nicholas Spencer elected ITC President Election to the academy is

among the highest professional
STLE Fellow Nicholas Spencer, emeritus professor of surface sci- distinctions accorded to an en-
ence and technology at the ETH Zurich and editor-in-chief of STLE- gineer. Wang is one of 106 new
affiliated Tribology Letters journal, has been elected president of members and 18 new interna-
the International Tribology Council (ITC). The ITC’s objectives are tional members. She will be for-
to enable contact and communication between tribology societies mally inducted during the NAE’s
worldwide, as well as encourage the formation of new national annual meeting on Oct. 1.
tribology societies. “We are tremendously proud
“It is with great pleasure that I take on the position of ITC Pres- to see Jane recognized at the
ident, with effect on Jan. 1, following on from the outstanding term highest level in her field,” says
of STLE Past President professor Ali Erdemir, who ably steered the Julio M. Ottino, dean of the
society through challenging times,” says Spencer. McCormick School of Engineer-
“The ITC has the important role of ensuring the continuation ing. “It is great to see faculty in Q. Jane Wang
of the World Tribology Congress, as well as encouraging and the Department of Mechanical Engineering recognized with a string
assisting international communication and cooperation in tribology, of awards that trace back to the origins of the department in me-
especially via member societies. Also of particular importance to chanics and its expansion into new fields.”
me, personally, is the raising of public awareness of tribology and Wang was cited for “contributions to computational tribology in
of the important role that tribologists have to play in virtually all the industrial applications.”
important technologies of today. She has devoted her research to advancing the field of tribology—
“I look forward to meeting many of you during the next four the study of interactions of surfaces. Her research group studies
years—at the latest in our next World Tribology Congress, sched- tribological interfaces from integrated theories for contact and in-
uled to take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in September 2026,” terfacial mechanics, numerical simulations, model-based designs
says Spencer. of machine elements and surfaces, failure-prevention methods and
Spencer studied at Cam- novel lubrication technologies, working with industries toward fu-
bridge University, obtaining his ture technologies for energy efficient, highly reliable machinery.
doctorate degree in 1980 from As executive director of Northwestern’s Center for Surface En-
the Department of Physical gineering and Tribology (CSET), Wang leads the center’s efforts to
Chemistry in the area of gold and address critical problems related to surface failure that affects key
silver surface chemistry. He then components in advanced engines, manufacturing equipment, bear-
spent two years as a postdoc ings, batteries and biomechanical systems. CSET’s research has
at the University of California, supported advances in industries such as aerospace, transportation,
Berkeley, before embarking on electronic and data processing and biomedical engineering.
more than a decade in research Wang’s honors include the STLE International Award, the soci-
in the U.S. chemical industry. ety’s highest award to an individual for outstanding contributions to
Spencer was elected full the field of tribology. She also has been named fellow of the Ameri-
professor of surface science and Nicholas D. Spencer. Photo courte- can Society of Mechanical Engineers.
sy of Juliette Cayer-Barrioz.
technology at the ETH Zurich in Wang, who earned her doctorate degree in mechanical engineer-
1993. From 1996-1998 and from 2002-2006 he served as chair of ing from Northwestern Engineering, has published more than 280
the Department of Materials. He also was the first director of the journal articles, 26 patents and applications, one technical book and
ETH Materials Research Center and was previously president of the two special issues covering topics related to tribology. In 2013, she
ETH Research Commission. His research has covered many areas of coedited “Encyclopedia of Tribology” with STLE member Yip-Wah
surface science and tribochemistry, but he is best known for his con- Chung, professor of materials science and engineering at North-
tributions to the use of polymer brushes to modify surface lubricity. western Engineering. The six-volume publication marked the first
He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK) and mem- major reference that comprehensively combines the science, engi-
ber of the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences. He was award- neering and technological aspects of tribology within a single work.
ed the 2018 Tribology Gold Medal and received the 2022 STLE Wang attributes this honor to the friendly industrial-university
International Award. collaborative environment created by STLE, the warmth of North-
western University, the strong supports from industries and re-
Q. Jane Wang elected to National Academy of Engineering search communities and especially the hard work of her collabora-
tors, coworkers and previous and current students.
STLE Fellow Q. Jane Wang, professor of mechanical engineering at
Northwestern University, has been elected to the National Academy
of Engineering (NAE).

58 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 Timken acquisitions

North Canton, Ohio-based The Timken Co., a global industrial leader

in engineered bearings and industrial motion products, has reached
an agreement to acquire Nadella Group, a leading European man-
ufacturer of linear guides, telescopic rails, actuators and systems
and other specialized industrial motion solutions, from ICG plc. The
Impact Fluids is on a mission to help manufacturers reduce fluid usage
business has 450 employees and operates manufacturing facilities
to improve production, improve safety and protect the environment.
in Europe and China. Photo courtesy of Impact Fluids.
“Nadella will complement and scale our linear motion product
portfolio and deliver strong synergies with our Rollon business,” “To stay competitive in a global marketplace, U.S. manufac-
says Christopher A. Coughlin, Timken executive vice president and turers must look at ways to continually improve their processes.
president of industrial motion. “Nadella’s differentiated solutions Combining the resources of Curtis Fluids, Great Lakes Industrial
are custom engineered for premium applications in attractive and Supply and AMS, Impact Fluids is positioned to help our customers
growing market sectors, including medical, food and beverage, determine the best fluid usage process, supply the proper fluids and
packaging and automation. We also see significant growth oppor- provide ongoing training and support,” says John Hoff, founder of
tunities for Nadella products in North America as part of Timken.” Curtis Fluids and president of Impact Fluids. “We want to help our
The acquisition of Nadella will further Timken’s strategy to customers improve their bottom line while positively impacting our
expand and scale its leading industrial motion product portfolio, environment to better the community at large.”
which includes linear motion and other engineered products that
are designed to improve the reliability and efficiency of industrial BASF and Cargill expand partnership
equipment and machinery.
Also, The Timken Co. has acquired the assets of American Roller Ludwigshafen, Germany-based BASF and Cargill announce their ex-
Bearing Co. (ARB), a North Carolina-based manufacturer of industri- panded cooperation, adding the U.S. to their existing feed enzymes
al bearings. ARB’s offerings join Timken’s industry-leading portfolio development and distribution agreement. Together, the two compa-
of engineered bearing solutions. ARB, which boasts a large U.S. nies are committed to bringing innovative enzyme-based solutions
installed base and strong aftermarket business, generated sales of to the market, generating distinctive value for animal feed custom-
more than $30 million in 2022. ers. By combining the enzyme research and development strengths
“ARB’s end-market mix, customer base and aftermarket position of BASF with Cargill’s know-how in application and broad market
fit our Timken business model extremely well,” says Richard G. Kyle, reach, the partners will form a joint innovation pipeline for animal
Timken president and CEO. “We’re proud to welcome ARB and its protein producers.
employees into The Timken Co.” With the expanded geographical reach, BASF and Cargill aim to
bring the voice and commercial insights of U.S. protein producers
New company Impact Fluids to craft the next generation of enzymes jointly. Through this next
stage of collaboration, BASF and Cargill strive to deliver solutions
Combining decades of knowledge from premier industrial fluid com- that address productivity, sustainability and cost challenges for
panies, Impact Fluids is on a mission to help manufacturers re- U.S. customers.
duce fluid usage to improve production, improve safety and protect “We are delighted further to strengthen our relationship with
the environment. our U.S. customers and BASF,” says Mariano Berdegue, the North
Impact Fluids consolidates Curtis Fluids, Great Lakes Industrial America regional managing director for Cargill’s animal nutrition
Service and Advance Metalworking Solutions (AMS), more com- business. “The collaboration will provide more animal feed cus-
monly recognized as the representative for Unist products. While tomers with access to a wide range of high-performance enzyme
remaining a top industrial fluid supplier, Impact Fluid’s innovative solutions that we have seen reduce nutrient waste, improve feed
approach to fluid reduction in the manufacturing process helps cus- efficiency and sustainably promote animal performance.”
tomers lower their environmental impact and improve their bottom Gisele Santos Bin, global sales director feed enzymes and feed
line through better application, filtration and proper fluid selection. performance ingredients at BASF, adds, “With the expansion of our
Impact Fluids’ fluid lifecycle analysis reviews each step fluid collaboration to the U.S., we continue to build our joint success story.
takes in its flow through a manufacturing facility to identify effi- We are proud to be on this journey with Cargill to increase further
ciency improvements and waste reduction opportunities. From the value creation opportunities for animal feed customers.”
fluid selection and mixing to application and staff training, Impact
Fluids works with customers to implement and manage fluid reduc- IMCD South Africa acquires CPS Oil-Tech
tion practices, including minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) and
better mixing and application systems. The benefits are cost Rotterdam, the Netherlands-based IMCD N.V., a leading distributor
savings; a cleaner, healthier workplace; and substantially less of speciality chemicals and ingredients, announces that IMCD South
environmental impact. Africa has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares of

WWW.STLE.ORG TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY APRIL 2023 • 59

 NEWSMAKERS

“Temix Oleo’s outstanding reputation is built on its custom-

er-centric and high-quality service business model. We are excited
to welcome the Temix Oleo team and its excellent product portfolio
to be part of the group of KLK (KLK Group),” says Sriganesh Mathur
Subramanian, managing director, KLK.
“This acquisition is an opportunity for Temix Oleo to continue to
grow, in product portfolio and geographic areas, with focus on sus-
tainability and innovation. Being part of the KLK Group, employees
can look forward to a bright future,” says Roberto Cella, managing
director, Temix Oleo.
From left to right (standing): John Fitton, director CPS Chemicals Oil-Tech
Pty Ltd, and Rajeen Bothma, director CPS Chemicals Oil-Tech Pty Ltd.
From left to right (seating): Raj Singh, managing director CPS Chemicals Lubrizol and Solecta partnership
Oil-Tech Pty Ltd, and Ryan Harrison, managing director IMCD South
Africa. Photo courtesy of IMCD. Solecta, Inc. and The Lubrizol Corp. announce a new partnership
to develop and market novel membrane solutions that will improve
CPS Chemical Oil-Tech (Pty) Ltd, a distributor of raw materials to
productivity and drive greater efficiencies for the global separa-
the petroleum, additive, grease manufacturing and other industry
tions industry.
related segments.
“This is a game-
Established in 1993 and headquartered in Durban, South Africa,
changing collabora-
CPS Oil-Tech is an asset-light specialty chemical distributor mainly
tion in the membrane
serving the lubricants and fuels markets. The company represents
separations space,”
leading global suppliers and serves a large group of customers
says Melinda Burn,
with an extensive portfolio of products alongside commercial and
vice president strate-
technical support.
gic marketing, Solecta,
“Joining forces with CPS Oil-Tech will enable IMCD South Africa
Inc. “It harnesses the
to offer its customers an increased product offering, through the
capabilities of two
valued strategic principals that CPS Oil-Tech, already represents.
industry leaders to
Furthermore, the business unit will become stronger due to the
develop innovative
increased expertise and technical knowledge of its staff supporting
membrane solutions
our continuous efforts and ambitions to further expand within the
to tackle our clients’
Sub-Saharan Africa region,” comments Ryan Harrison, managing
most challenging sep- Solecta’s Jim Ford (front left) and Lubrizol’s
director IMCD South Africa. Matthew Joyce (front right) executed a formal
aration problems.” partnership agreement at Solecta’s corporate
“We are very pleased to become part of IMCD and the company’s
Solecta is a global office. Attending the signing were Solecta
growth strategy. Our current management and business set up will
leader in membrane team members Mariusz Grzelakowski, Melinda
continue to support our valued business partners by introducing
separation technol- Burn, Erik (Skip) Smith, Aseem Sharma and
new offerings and services. We look forward to leverage IMCD’s
ogies for industrial Lubrizol’s Michael Fornes. Photo courtesy of
capabilities and global network and create new business opportu- The Lubrizol Corp. and Solecta, Inc.
filtration of high value
nities,” says Raj Singh, managing director of CPS Oil-Tech.
process streams. Focused on delivering superior client outcomes
using customer-centric innovation, deep industry expertise and
KLK OLEO acquires Temix Oleo
onsite consultative service, Solecta helps clients optimize perfor-
mance, maximize profitability and minimize waste.
KLK Emmerich GmbH, a subsidiary of Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad
Complimenting Solecta’s proprietary membrane formulation,
(KLK), under its resource-based manufacturing division known as
casting and element design capabilities, Lubrizol brings world-class
KLK OLEO, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a
polymer and formulating experience and the ability to synthesize
controlling stake in Temix Oleo SpA.
scalable molecules for membrane applications.
KLK OLEO is a global integrated oleochemical producer (oleo-
“Partnering with Solecta is a win-win to bring these separation
chemical, derivatives and specialty chemicals) with manufacturing
solutions to market,” says Matt Joyce, vice president, corporate new
sites in Malaysia, Indonesia, China and Europe. KLK OLEO is the
business development, for Lubrizol. “Our strategies and strengths
manufacturing division of KLK, a leading international plantations
are aligned and complementary: we leverage our proprietary sci-
group listed on the Malaysia stock exchange.
ence at the molecular level, and our formulation and surface science
Temix Oleo is an oleochemical company focused on production of
expertise to improve the efficiency of separation technology, and
esters mainly based on renewable feedstocks, and delivering solu-
Solecta brings its expertise in membrane design and manufacturing,
tions for lubricant, cosmetic, ceramic, coating, rubber and plastics
and reputation for quality and innovation as a global leader in novel
industries. Temix Oleo is located in Milan, Italy, with the production
separation solutions.”
plant in Calderara di Reno (Bologna) employing around 100 people.

60 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 What do STLE volunteers do?
Everything.

From education to certification to publication, volunteers

plan and produce every STLE member benefit.

STLE volunteers come from every segment of the society’s membership.

They include new members as well as the lubricant industry’s
most honored professionals.

These volunteers have one thing in common—a willingness to

give of themselves for the betterment of all.

STLE’s Founding Fathers began this principle when they created the society
in March 1944. The tradition continues with the STLE members who are
leading today’s lubricants industry.

STLE’s board of directors honors and salutes all volunteers,

past and present.

For all you do, STLE volunteers,

Thank you.

For more information about STLE

volunteer opportunities, please email
[email protected] or contact
STLE headquarters at (847) 825-5536.

Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers

840 Busse Highway, Park Ridge, Illinois 60068 (USA)
P: (847) 825-5536 | F: (847) 825-1456 | www.stle.org | [email protected]
Follow us on:
 NEWSMAKERS

Univar Solutions agreements

Univar Solutions B.V., a subsidiary of Univar Solutions, Inc., a lead-

ing global solutions provider to users of specialty ingredients and
chemicals, announces the company has been appointed as distrib-
utor for Marott Graphic Services (MGS Chemistry Group) unique
rust protection additives for inks, coatings, rust prevention oils and
lubricants and metalworking fluids in Europe.
“We are thrilled to be selected as a distributor for MGS,” says
Federico Montaner, global vice president of lubricants and metal-
working fluids for Univar Solutions. “This agreement will support
more industrial rust protection, specialty lubricants, metalworking
fluids and additives in the region, enabling customers to develop
Chevron Phillips Chemical helps accelerate the circular economy for
next-generation products and find innovative solutions for industrial plastics by aligning with Nexus Circular’s proven, commercial-scale
chemistry and formulations.” advanced recycling technology to convert landfill-bound plastics into
The new agreement between the two companies includes addi- high-quality materials for the production of virgin-quality circular
tives for oils, lubricants and coatings in the TINSCO range of rust in- plastics. Photo courtesy of Chevron Phillips Chemical.
hibitors. Working together, Univar Solutions will offer customers ac- feedstocks from a new advanced recycling facility. This long-term
cess to an expansive range of additives for lubricants, metalworking contractual commitment further strengthens CPChem’s relationship
fluids and rust prevention oils, while simultaneously providing MGS with Nexus for advanced recycled plastic feedstocks to produce
a reliable, technical-focused and market leading distribution part- Marlex® Anew™ circular polyethylene.
ner. Innovation is a top priority for both MGS and Univar Solutions Nexus Circular is a commercial leader in advanced recycling
as the two companies are bringing alternative solutions forward by with a proven proprietary technology and a leading process design
focusing on sustainability in the lubricants and metalworking fluids that converts landfill-bound films and other hard-to-recycle plastics
and coatings space. into high-quality liquids, which are then used to produce virgin-
“We are hugely excited about our partnership with Univar Solu- quality circular plastics.
tions,” says Scott Sutherland, managing director for MGS. “As one CPChem is targeting an annual production volume of one bil-
of Europe’s leading chemical distributors to the lubricants and lion pounds of Marlex® Anew™ circular polyethylene by 2030. The
metalworking fluids and CASE markets, Univar Solutions’ expert proven, fully commercialized advanced recycling technology from
technical and logistical capabilities will help deliver sales growth Nexus repeatedly transforms difficult-to-recycle plastics into pris-
and expanded market coverage for the high-performance TINSCO tine new products to accelerate the transition to a circular economy
additive range.” for plastics.
Also, Univar Solutions Inc. announces the company has been Justine Smith, senior vice president of petrochemicals at CP-
appointed the exclusive distributor of Automate™ oil-based dyes, Chem, says, “This contract with Nexus supports the transformation
and an authorized distributor of water-based dyes, for lubricants of used plastic into a new, useful resource, helping position CPChem
and metalworking fluids customers in the U.S. and Canada. The to further scale our circular polymers program and deliver products
new agreement strengthens Univar Solutions’ specialty ingredients the world needs for years to come.”
portfolio with products that are tailored for a variety of lubricant, oil, Clint Thompson, chief commercial officer at Nexus, states, “Nexus
grease and fuel coloration applications. is delivering real-world scalable solutions to meet the outsized de-
“We’re continually assessing market demands so we can offer mands for virgin-quality recycled plastics. We are thrilled to collab-
our customers access to products and services they need to keep orate with CPChem as we rapidly expand our innovation footprint.”
their businesses growing. We’re very excited about building a strong
and solid partnership with Milliken & Co. By expanding our Canadian PETRONAS and SEDC Energy agreement
relationship into the U.S., we are reinforcing our commitment to the
lubricants and metalworking fluids market,” says Montaner. “As PETRONAS Research Sdn Bhd (PRSB), a subsidiary of PETRONAS,
customers seek to solve demanding lubrication market challeng- and SEDC Energy Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Sarawak Economic De-
es, they can depend on our deep technical and sales expertise, our velopment Corp. (SEDC), have signed an agreement to develop tech-
customer-centric digital connectivity and the reliability and safety nology for microalgae oil production.
of our supply chain.” Under the agreement, PRSB and SEDC Energy will jointly de-
velop algae production technology, which includes cultivation, har-
Chevron Phillips Chemical and Nexus Circular agreement vesting and extraction of crude algae oil, that will later be refined to
produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Nexus Circular announces that the company has signed a long-term Both parties also will deep dive into the commercial production
commercial agreement with Chevron Phillips Chemical (CPChem) requirements for crude algae oil, including developing algae strains
for the supply of a significant volume annually of circular liquid with high oil content at a competitive production cost.

62 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 PETRONAS and SEDC Energy collaborate to develop next-generation renewable oil that can potentially be a game-changer. Standing from left to right:
Azmi Bujang, deputy state secretary Sarawak Economic Planning & Development and council member of Sarawak Biodiversity Centre Datu; Dr. Muhammad
Abdullah Zaidel; Tan Sri Dr. Abdul Aziz Husain; and Datuk Bacho Pilong. Seated from left to right: Adam Nasir Nawi, head of Advanced Expertise
Common Centre from PETRONAS Group Research & Technology; Norhayati Hashim; Robert Hardin; and Aazina Mujahid Lee, SEDC Energy head of legal.
Photo courtesy of PETRONAS.

The signatories to the agreement, signed in Kuching on Jan. This agreement will lead to the creation of a major player in hy-
20, were PRSB CEO Norhayati Hashim and SEDC Energy CEO Rob- drogen refueling solutions and contribute to the decarbonization of
ert Hardin. Also present at the event were SEDC chairman Tan Sri road transportation in Europe. The two companies will combine their
Dr. Abdul Aziz Husain; Deputy State Secretary (Economic Planning know-how and expertise in infrastructure, hydrogen distribution and
& Development) Datu Dr. Muhammad Abdullah Zaidel; Permanent mobility. TotalEnergies will bring its expertise in the operation and
Secretary to Sarawak Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent management of stations networks and the distribution of energies
Development Azmi Bujang; and PETRONAS senior vice president of to B2B customers. Air Liquide will contribute with its expertise in
project delivery and technology Datuk Bacho Pilong. technologies and its mastery of the entire hydrogen value chain.
Tan Sri Dr. Abdul Aziz says, “Aside from the development of “Following the recent signature of a partnership for the produc-
Sarawak’s Hydrogen Economy, we acknowledge the significance tion of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen on our Grandpuits Zero
of alternative low-carbon initiatives as the world transitions from Crude Platform, we are pleased to once again join forces with Air
conventional hydrocarbon fuels. It has been Sarawak’s interest to Liquide and continue our common efforts to decarbonize mobility.
explore as many solutions as possible to mitigate carbon emis- As pioneers in hydrogen mobility, we are convinced of the necessity
sions, and the collaboration with PETRONAS in the development of to start building now a heavy-duty network that will benefit our cus-
next-generation renewable oil can potentially be a game-changer.” tomers,” says Thierry Pflimlin, president marketing and services, To-
Datuk Bacho says, “We believe crude algae oil has the potential talEnergies. “This new partnership with Air Liquide will enable us to
to support PETRONAS’ Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050 aspira- continue our development across the entire hydrogen value chain.”
tion, and we welcome collaborations with like-minded partners like
SEDC who share our vision. We also look forward to playing our role ATIEL and UEIL cooperation
in realizing the State’s sustainability goals.”
The Union of the European Lubricants Industry (UEIL) and the Tech-
TotalEnergies and Air Liquide joint venture nical Association of the European Lubricants Industry (ATIEL), a
non-for-profit association, are pleased to announce a collaboration
TotalEnergies and Air Liquide announce their decision to create to develop a methodology to calculate and report product carbon
an equally owned joint venture to develop a network of hydrogen footprints (PCFs) for lubricants and greases. Beginning in January,
stations, geared toward heavy-duty vehicles on major European a working group has come together under the guidance of a consul-
road corridors. This initiative will help facilitate access to hydrogen, tant to develop a harmonized cradle-to-gate (blenders/marketers
enabling the development of its use for goods transportation and exit gate) PCF methodology.
further strengthening the hydrogen sector. The aim of the PCF working group is to develop a common stan-
The partners aim to deploy more than 100 hydrogen stations dard that can be used by the whole lubricants industry, ensuring
on major European roads—in France, Benelux and Germany—in the consistency and transparency throughout the entire supply chain.
coming years. These stations, under the TotalEnergies brand, will It is anticipated that the PCF methodology for the lubricants and
be located on major strategic corridors. grease industry will be published in the second half of 2023.

WWW.STLE.ORG TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY APRIL 2023 • 63

 NEWSMAKERS

Mattia Adani, UEIL president, highlights: “To be able to determine with LANXESS, we use energy in our electrolysis plants in North
product carbon footprints for lubricants on a common, harmonized Rhine-Westphalia on a pro-rata basis, which enables us to reduce
basis for the whole European lubricants industry is a decisive capa- our reported emissions by up to 120,000 metric tons of CO2 per year.”
bility that we want to develop jointly with ATIEL.” Dr. Hubert Fink, member of the LANXESS board of management,
Marco Digioia, ATIEL president, states: “This joint PCF harmo- says, “The joint project with Covestro is an important building block
nization effort is of paramount importance in bringing a consistent in making our entire value chain climate neutral. By sourcing raw
approach to assess the environmental impacts of our products in materials for these products with a significantly reduced carbon
line with the objectives of the European Green Deal and globally.” footprint, we will be able to reduce our reported indirect emissions
by up to 120,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalents per year.” With its
LANXESS and Covestro cooperation Net Zero Value Chain Initiative, the specialty chemicals compa-
ny plans to eliminate Scope 3 emissions within its upstream and
Chemical companies Covestro and LANXESS are cooperating in the downstream supply chain by 2050. This includes indirect emissions,
energy-intensive production of basic chemicals at their Lower Rhine particularly from purchased raw materials, but also in logistics or
sites in Germany to make them more climate friendly. LANXESS disposal. For Scope 1 and 2 emissions, the company aims to be
sources chlorine, caustic soda and hydrogen from the ISCC climate neutral by 2040. “With this program, we are taking the next
PLUS-certified sites of Covestro in Leverkusen and Krefeld- step toward a climate-neutral product portfolio and are also sup-
Uerdingen. Covestro is manufacturing around one-third of the vol- porting our customers, who are increasingly looking for sustainable
ume of products it supplies using energy from hydropower based solutions,” says Fink.
on guarantees of origin.
“Covestro is pursuing the goal of completely converting its Croda acquires Solus Biotech
production to electricity from renewable sources on its path to
operational climate neutrality in 2035,” says Dr. Klaus Schäfer, Croda International Plc announces it has agreed to acquire Solus
chief technology officer of Covestro. “A particular focus is on the Biotech, a global leader in premium, biotechnology-derived beauty
energy-intensive production of basic raw materials. In cooperation actives, from Solus Advanced Materials. The acquisition provides

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to your STLE account to access this content.

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Satisfying new health, safety and environmental regulations while
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Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers

840 Busse Highway, Park Ridge, Illinois 60068 (USA)
P: (847) 825-5536 | F: (847) 825-1456 | www.stle.org | [email protected]
Follow us on:

64 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 Technical Education.
Career Development.
International Networking.

Log on to
www.stle.org/
annualmeeting
for registration and
hotel information.

77th STLE Annual Meeting & Exhibition

Long Beach Convention Center
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May 21-25, 2023 • 500 Technical Presentations and Posters
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• New Sustainable Power Generation Track
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technical training and industry education that Ř&RPPHUFLDO0DUNHWLQJ)RUXP
FRXOGFKDQJH\RXUFDUHHU • Business Networking

Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers

840 Busse Highway, Park Ridge, Illinois 60068 (USA)
P: (847) 825-5536 | F: (847) 825-1456 | www.stle.org | [email protected]
Follow us on:
 NEWSMAKERS

Pilot Chemical Co. has opened a microbiology lab at its Sharonville Technology Center. Photo courtesy of Pilot Chemical Co.

access to Solus’ existing biotech-derived ceramide and phospho- Pilot Chemical opens microbiology lab
lipid technologies, and its emerging capabilities in natural retinol.
This acquisition will significantly strengthen Croda’s Beauty Actives Pilot Chemical Co., a privately owned and independent global spe-
portfolio and increase its exposure to targeted prestige segments. cialty chemical manufacturer, has opened a microbiology lab to
Located in South Korea, Solus expands Croda’s Asian manufac- bring new biocidal products to the market and continue its strategy
turing capability and will create a new biotechnology R&D hub of accelerated innovation. The lab, which occupies 750 square feet
in the region. at the company’s Sharonville Technology Center in Cincinnati, Ohio,
Solus is a leading supplier of naturally derived powder cer- opened in January.
amides, a high-growth global market with further potential to “In the last three years, we have invested more than $4 million
extend into formulated ceramides. The number of new personal into the Sharonville Technology Center, which adds to our testing
care products containing ceramides has doubled over the last five and application capabilities,” says Dr. John Manka, director of re-
years, principally for skin care but increasingly for hair care formu- search and development (R&D) and Sharonville Technology Center
lations. Access to Croda’s formulation capabilities will accelerate site manager. “We’ve also increased our staff by 30%. We continue
development of Solus’ formulated ceramides to create even greater to invest in our employees and our R&D capabilities to position our-
value for customers globally and address exciting, formulated selves for growth.”
ceramide demand. The Sharonville lab complements existing capabilities at Pilot
Solus’ growth will be accelerated by Croda’s ownership through Chemical Co.’s Innovation Center, which opened in 2018 in Pittsburgh.
access to technical and innovative capabilities, particularly in formu- “Ultimately, the new lab will help us bring new and innovative
lation and by accessing its global selling network. The acquisition biocidal products to the market,” says Katie Lahni, biocide technol-
will give Croda greater ability to serve luxury beauty customers ogy manager. “It will help us optimize our biocide end-use products
in Asia and globally, and the opportunity to accelerate delivery of and allow for a quick and targeted way to screen prototype for-
Avanti’s pharma product pipeline. mulations, resulting in a faster to-market strategy to support our
Commenting, Steve Foots, chief executive of Croda, says, “This is innovation efforts.”
a strategic bullseye for Croda, consolidating our position as a global
leader in supplying sustainable, natural actives for personal care Azelis opens personal care application laboratory
across three critical technology platforms of peptides, ceramides
and retinol. It significantly enhances our sustainable biotechnology Azelis, a leading innovation service provider in the specialty chem-
capabilities and adds a North Asia manufacturing and innovation icals and food ingredients industry, announces the opening of a
facility, providing a springboard to premium markets in Asia and new personal care application laboratory in Barcelona, Spain. This
beyond. I am especially excited about their brilliant technology, with further investment in innovation capabilities enables Azelis to offer
Solus bringing rich IP and proprietary know-how that we will be able new formulations and technical support to personal care customers
to deliver to customers globally.” throughout the region.
The new application laboratory is fully equipped to service
various personal care sub-segments and will primarily focus on

66 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 formulating for skin and hair care, complementing Azelis’ network
of personal care laboratories across Europe, the Middle East and
Africa. The laboratory and its strong technical team also focus on
helping, advising and training customers through seminars, un-
derscoring Azelis’ strategy to be an innovation service provider by
bringing knowledge and formulations closer to its customers. In
line with Azelis’ commitment toward sustainability, the laboratory
also has been designed to be adapted over time, with all materials
fully reusable.
Javier Pérez, managing director of Azelis Spain, comments:
“With the opening of our new application laboratory in Barcelona,
Spain, we’re thrilled to be able to further support the fast-growing
personal care market and its customers. Together our experienced
technical team, along with our extensive lateral value chain, will
help customers ideate, formulate and create more innovative, sus-
tainable formulations.”

Azelis opens a new personal care application laboratory in Barcelona,

Spain. Photo courtesy of Azelis.
With over 60 application labs around the world, each dedicated
to a single market segment, Azelis is constantly working on inno-
vative projects with customers and suppliers. The new personal
care laboratory is a great addition to Azelis’ innovation capabilities,
supporting the constant drive for discovery and sustainability, and
will service the region with new value-adding formulations.

Sea-Land Chemical headquarters move

Sea-Land Chemical Co. announces it will be relocating its headquar-

ters. The new address is 18013 Cleveland Parkway, Suite 100, Cleve-
land, Ohio. Its telephone and email contacts will remain the same.
This move marks an exciting new chapter in the growth and
development of Sea-Land Chemical Co. The new headquarters will
provide Sea-Land Chemical with a modern and innovative working
environment and expanded lab facilities, designed to support con-
tinued success. The new location will allow Sea-Land to better serve
customers and offer new opportunities for employees.
“We are thrilled to announce the next step in Sea-Land’s evo-
lution with the relocation of our headquarters. Our new location
will provide a modern and dynamic workspace and expanded
lab facilities that will support our continued growth and success.

WWW.STLE.ORG TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY APRIL 2023 • 67

 NEWSMAKERS

We can’t wait to unveil this exciting new chapter to the world,” demanding applications and
says STLE member Craig Lundell, Sr., vice president of supplier and will provide customers peace of
market development. mind when transitioning to our
new technology.”
Castrol to develop immersion cooling fluids with RISE President and CEO Dr. Jeff
DiMaio says, “Bringing his wealth
Castrol has joined the partner program of the Research Institutes of technical knowledge coupled
of Sweden (RISE) to help accelerate the research and development with expertise built over the last
of next-generation immersion cooling fluids for use in data centers. 25-plus years of leadership ex-
Castrol also will look to develop mid- to long-term solutions with perience in the lubricant indus-
support from RISE to address the challenges associated with the try, Martin has already proven
development of next-generation computing and materials. to be an invaluable asset to our
Martin Greaves
RISE is an independent, Swedish state-owned research institute team. Further, as we expand our
focused on future technologies, products and services and one of reach, Martin’s location in Europe will aid in the global adoption of
the global leaders in holistic data center research. By joining RISE’s our product portfolio.”
partnership program, Castrol aims to combine its fluid, material Greaves is a British national and has more than 25 years of
science and thermal management expertise with RISE’s state-of- experience in technical leadership positions within the lubricant
the-art testbed and research capabilities to help facilitate the further industry with a strong background in leading teams in inventing,
development of the Castrol ON range of single-phase immersion developing and commercializing novel synthetic base fluids and
cooling fluids while accelerating the adoption of immersion cooling formulations. He has held positions in the U.K., the Netherlands, the
with the other project partners. U.S. and Switzerland. He also is a former TLT Technical Editor and
Immersion cooling involves submerging server and IT equip- education instructor with STLE.
ment in a non-conductive dielectric liquid. Compared to conventional Greaves will be based in Baar, Switzerland.
cooling methods, immersion cooling can help reduce the consump-
tion of energy and water needed to cool servers, and enables the HF Sinclair names Tim Go as CEO
reuse of some waste heat.
Rebecca Yates, bp Technology’s vice president advanced lu- U.S. oil refiner HF Sinclair Corp. names president Tim Go chief exec-
bricants products, says, “Immersion cooling is a fast-developing utive of the eighth largest U.S. refiner by capacity on May 9.
sphere of innovation, spurred on by the global need to optimize Go has been president and chief operating officer of HF Sinclair
the efficiency and energy usage of the world’s most powerful data since November 2021. He succeeds Michael Jennings, who will con-
centers. Through this collaboration, Castrol and RISE will accelerate tinue as CEO until May 8.
development of immersion coolants and develop underpinning sci- Go was CEO of the general partner of Calumet Specialty Prod-
ence, which addresses challenges associated with the development ucts and earlier worked as head of operations at Koch Industries’
of next-generation computing.” Flint Hills Resources. He worked at ExxonMobil Corp. for nearly
Tor Björn Minde, director ICE Data Centre at RISE, says, “We two decades.
want to excel in data center technologies by working with the in- “Tim is well respected in the industry,” says Matthew Blair, a
dustry. A partner program helps with dialogue and enables direct managing director and head of refining research at financial firm
bi-lateral collaboration. This way we can continue to develop our Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co.
thought leadership together with our partners.” Jennings, who led the Dallas-based company through two merg-
ers during two separate stints as CEO, will leave the board at the
PROMOTIONS & TRANSITIONS next annual meeting, the com-
pany says. He became CEO of
HollyFrontier in 2021 after its
VBASE Oil welcomes Martin Greaves as CTO
merger with Frontier Oil, left
for a time, and rejoined as CEO
Pendleton, S.C.-based VBASE Oil Co. announces the addition of Dr.
to oversee the combination
Martin Greaves as chief technology officer (CTO) leading in the con-
with Sinclair Oil a decade later.
tinued development and commercialization of sustainable, high-per-
The company now processes
formance VBASE base oils and lubricants.
670,000 barrels of oil per day
“I’m delighted to be joining the VBASE team with its culture of
at five U.S. refineries. Tim Go
innovation and customer centricity. I’m also excited to be collabo-
rating with our partners in serving their needs for environmentally
acceptable and sustainable lubricant solutions. Our novel hybrid
synthetic base oil technology provides outstanding environmen-
tal performance coupled with excellent technical performance in

68 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

You work in
a technical world.
You belong in
a technical society.
You belong in STLE.
Keeping current with technical changes in the lubricants
field is a daunting task.
More than 3,000 of your peers have solved this problem
by joining the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication
Engineers (STLE).
STLE is the premier technical organization representing
tribology researchers and lubrication professionals.
People in industry, academia and government join
STLE because they know STLE provides the
lubricant industry’s highest level of technical training
and professional development.
You work in a technical world.
You belong in a technical society.
Learn more about the benefits of
STLE membership and how to join at
www.stle.org.

Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers

840 Busse Highway, Park Ridge, Illinois 60068 (USA)
P: (847) 825-5536 | F: (847) 825-1456 | www.stle.org | [email protected]
Follow us on:
 NEWSMAKERS

Pilot Chemical hires microbiologist

West Chester, Ohio-based Pilot Chemical Co., a privately owned and

independent global specialty chemical manufacturer, announces
the hire of a microbiologist to conduct challenge testing and over-
see its new microbiology lab. Sarah Hale, who recently joined the
team, brings to the role experience in microbial challenge testing,
household care product claims testing, research and development
and media preparation.
“When we decided to build a micro lab to support our biocides
business, we knew we had to find an expert that could successful- Caren Hoffmann Dr. Mary Kurian
ly launch the lab and establish industry-accepted processes and “My goal is to increase awareness about what our innovative
procedures,” says Dr. John Manka, director of R&D and Sharonville chemistry, coupled with our scientific artificial intelligence solutions,
Technology Center site manager. “We were lucky to find Sarah, as she can do to meet some of the mining industry’s pressing challenges.
had the exact training and extensive experience we needed to lead We can design chemistry to tackle specific problems and, with our
our new lab. She had testing experience in the markets we serve, and digital solutions, target them very precisely. Imagine if nickel could
her knowledge will enable us to develop better biocide products.” be extracted from laterites in a simple manner, or sulfides could be
floated without xanthates, or even if chalcopyrite could be leached
efficiently. I am looking forward to tackling some of these challenges
with our customers,” says Hoffmann.
Hoffmann has an accomplished career that spans over 25 years.
Prior to her current role, she was heading new business develop-
ment for the mining solutions business. She started her career in
1997 with BASF in Ludwigshafen, Germany, where she held various
positions in marketing, business development, strategy, sales and
distribution. Hoffmann holds a master of business administration
degree from the University of
North Carolina at Greensboro.
Also, Ralph Schweens, pres-
ident global operating division
care chemicals, will retire. He
will be succeeded by Dr. Mary
Kurian, senior vice president,
petrochemicals North America,
Sarah Hale BASF Corp., Houston, Texas.
Hale says, “Our new lab will give Pilot a competitive advan- She will, as president, assume
tage that allows us to screen biocide formulations quickly and responsibility for the global
efficiently to better serve our customers and tailor formulations to operating division care chemi-
Christian-Matthias Jutzi
their specific needs. I am happy to be a part of the growth at Pilot cals, Ludwigshafen.
Chemical Co. and am excited to see what additional capabilities Also, Christian-Matthias Jutzi, senior vice president, mobile
we add in the future.” emissions catalysts, Iselin, N.J., will, as president, assume respon-
Hale most recently worked as a R&D microbiologist for Ad- sibility for the division corporate finance in Ludwigshafen, Germany.
vanced Testing Laboratory. She earned a bachelor of science de- He succeeds Dr. Dirk Elvermann who was appointed as the new chief
gree in biology and forensics from Northern Kentucky University. financial officer and chief digital officer by the supervisory board.
She also minored in chemistry and criminalistics.
Chevron promotes Mark Nelson
BASF appoints Caren Hoffmann
San Ramon, Calif.,-based Chevron Corp. announces Mark A.
Ludwigshafen, Germany-based BASF has appointed Caren Nelson, executive vice president, strategy, policy and development,
Hoffman to lead the global mining solutions business. It focuses has been named vice chair and executive vice president, strategy,
on the development and marketing of innovative chemistries and policy and development. In this new corporate officer role, Nelson
digital applications that offer sustainable solutions for the mineral will continue leading Chevron’s strategy and sustainability, cor-
processing industry. porate affairs and business development functions and take on
additional corporate responsibilities.

70 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 insulation, firefighting foams, etc.) businesses with profit and loss
responsibility, driving sustainable growth in existing markets
and strategically expanding into new markets. Murthy has a doc-
torate degree in materials science and engineering from Texas
A&M University.

Infineum CEO changes

Infineum announces Trevor Russell will retire from his position as

CEO on June 30, and his successor is Aldo Govi.
Russell says, “After 43 years in this industry and seven years
as CEO of Infineum, I have decided it is time to retire and pass the
leadership of this great company on to Aldo Govi, currently EVP
commercial. Having worked with Aldo for many years, I know that
he has a deep understanding of our customers, our company and
our market. His drive and determination to continue to deliver on our
Mark A. Nelson
strategy to transform and grow will ensure the ongoing success of
Infineum, and I know he will make an outstanding CEO.”
“Throughout his career, and as a senior leader, Mark has made
significant contributions to the company’s success,” says Michael K.
Wirth, Chevron’s chair and CEO. “He has worked in every segment
of our business, and his results-driven approach positions him well
to help execute our strategy and represent Chevron more broadly.”
Nelson previously served as executive vice president of down-
stream and chemicals, vice president, midstream, strategy and pol-
icy and vice president of corporate strategic planning.

Ranjini Murthy joins Azelis

Trevor Russell Aldo Govi
Azelis Americas, a leading global innovation service provider in the
specialty chemicals industry, announces Dr. Ranjini Murthy is join- Govi says, “I can only thank Trevor for being so instrumental in
ing the company as senior vice president of commercial and digital creating such a successful company with great people, world-class
excellence. In her new role, Murthy will be responsible for leading fundamentals and a clear purpose and vision. I am excited to be tak-
the digital strategy and commercial excellence programs for Azelis ing over the leadership of Infineum and all its talented employees at
Americas. She will report to U.S. managing director, Vuk Milojkovic. this point in the Infineum journey, as we transform into a sustainable
Milojkovic comments: “We are very excited for Dr. Murthy to join world-class specialty chemicals company.”
our leadership team. Her expertise and industry experience make
her an excellent choice to lead our commercial excellence and digital
strategy. Digitalization is one of Azelis’ strategic pillars for growth.
We sit at the forefront of digital transformation in the industry with
our introduction of e-Labs, iChat and customer portals that connect
our principals and customers directly with our commercial and tech- Want to be recognized in TLT?
nical teams. Murthy will take these customer focused programs to If you have news about a new employee or if someone in
the next level while delivering continuous improvement in our sales your company has been recognized with an award or
excellence and commercial effectiveness programs, which are key any other interesting items, let us know. Please send us
drivers to our growth strategy.” your news releases and photos for publication in News-
Murthy has been a leader in the chemical industry for more makers to TLT Magazine, Attn: Rachel Fowler, 840 Busse
than 15 years. She began her career as a patent engineer at a law Highway, Park Ridge, IL 60068, [email protected].
firm supporting chemical and oilfield clients. Murthy transitioned
into the chemical industry working in different technical and com-
mercial roles at Henkel Corp., Air Products, Wacker and Stepan Co.
During her time at Wacker, she was responsible for global strate-
gy and business development driving growth in new markets. In
her most recent role at Stepan, Murthy worked as the business
director for the CASE, gypsum and industrial solutions (lubricants,

WWW.STLE.ORG TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY APRIL 2023 • 71

NEW PRODUCTS

Precision series liquid immersion equipment

Koehler Instrument Co., Inc. introduces the equipment features the following models:
next generation of precision testing equip- K641 Series – D2440 Mineral Oil Oxidation
ment. The all-new Precision series of liquid Stability, K642 Series – Oxidation Stability,
immersion test equipment is engineered K643 Series – D130 Copper Strip Corrosion,
for high-accuracy testing in accordance K643 Series – D4048 Copper Strip Corro-
with a variety of key ASTM petroleum test sion, K643 Series – Silver Strip Corrosion,
methods. The Precision series moderniz- K644 Series – D525 Oxidation Stability of
es its line of high-temperature test equip- Fuels, K645 Series – D942 Oxidation Stabil-
ment that uses liquid as the temperature ity of Greases, K646 Series – Hydrometer
control medium. The newly developed Bath and K648 Series – LPG Corrosion.
immersion heating system increases the
temperature accuracy and stability while Koehler Instrument Co., Inc.
also modernizing the form and function Holtsville, N.Y.
of the unit. The heating system features a (631) 589-3800
two-position control head to ensure the best www.koehlerinstrument.com
Photo courtesy of Koehler Instrument Co., Inc. fit in your lab space. The Precision series of

3D areal surface measurement technology

Bruker Corp. announces the release of automated measurement and analysis rec-
two new white-light interferometry (WLI) ipes, providing the most accurate and pre-
systems: the ContourX-1000 and NP- cise metrology for high-volume production
FLEX-1000 optical profilometers. These facilities in semiconductor and optoelectron-
floor-standing platforms enable faster, ic processing, advanced packaging devel-
automated areal measurements of surface opment and medical device manufacturing.
texture and roughness. The new one-click The NPFLEX-1000 has a large gantry and
advanced find surface feature with auto- swivel head design, delivering a unique
focus and auto-illumination improves user gage-capable solution for accessing diffi-
experience and time to result, eliminating cult orientations on large parts in QA/QC
the complexity of manually registering the of precision machining for the automotive,
surface before each measurement. Com- medical and large-scale additive manufac-
bined with self-adapting measurement turing sectors.
mode USI and guided, simplified VisionX-
press interface, this unique capability en- Bruker
ables uncompromised metrology on any Billerica, Mass.
surface at increased throughput. The (866) 262-4040
Photos courtesy of Bruker. ContourX-1000 features operator-friendly www.bruker.com

Polycaprolactone products
Ingevity Corp. launches its new range of value in a host of end-uses from industrial
polycaprolactone products designed to wheels and rollers, automotive bushings,
push the low temperature boundaries of mechanical seals, to snow sport and other
polyurethane (PU) performance: Ingevity’s outdoor footwear.
Capa® LT technology and its potential end-
use applications. Extending the low tem- Ingevity
perature limit performance of PU materials North Charleston, S.C.
has a wide variety of commercial oppor- (843) 740-2300
tunities in the transportation, aerospace, www.ingevity.com
footwear, manufacturing, construction and
medical markets. The ability to operate
at both low and high temperatures has
Photo courtesy of Ingevity.

72 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 California Dreamin...
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and other opportunities.
LONG BEACH
May 21-25, 2023
For more details and pricing, contact Tracy Nicholas VanEe at
630-922-3459 or [email protected].

Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers

840 Busse Highway, Park Ridge, Illinois 60068 (USA)
P: (847) 825-5536 | F: (847) 825-1456 | www.stle.org | [email protected]
Follow us on:
SOUNDING BOARD

Bearing torque performance

Executive Summary
Measuring bearing torque performance is a complex but critical task that impacts
many industries. Poor performance results in energy loss, heat generation and ultimately
costly downtime. Techniques that can improve bearing torque performance include
choosing the correct lubricant for the job, carefully controlling the amount of lubricant
used and following OEM recommendations. There are challenges to overcome in
achieving better bearing torque performance; the equipment needed for testing is not
only expensive but often inaccurate, leaving room for improvement and innovation
in the areas of testing and modeling.

74 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 Please describe any techniques or practices that have helped
Q.1 you with bearing torque performance.
Using a controlled amount of oil/grease important that the lubricant meets the lubricating grease (yield point and shear
intended for a given bearing, ensuring characteristics indicated by the OEMs viscosity), if possible, over the entire
the structural existence of bearing cover both in its balance of viscosity, soap, temperature range of the application.
radiators that facilitate lowering the NLGI, etc. Another important factor in
Selecting the most efficient grease.
temperature of the zone occupied by the performance is the cleanliness of the
Selecting low energy bearings. Optimizing
bearing, control and maintenance of prop- lubricant, ensuring that it reaches the
bearing life for the application, i.e., not
er radial clearance value, maintenance of lubrication points clean.
overdesigning the bearing resulting
proper bearing tension, if required. Better cleanliness of the lubricant. in added weight, momentum and inertia.
Lubricant rheological parameters, detailed Better extreme pressure (EP)
Use of friction modifiers in
contact model, surface properties. properties. Optimum viscosity at
greases, use of low viscosity oils,
operating temperature.
Correct quantity of grease to be filled in use of viscosity modifiers.
the antifriction bearings has great impact
on the bearing performance and life.
Analysis of the penetration of
used greases.
Lubricant resistance, NLGI grade,
base oil viscosity, temperature, lubricant
friction coefficient, load, speed.
Could be to inject an adequate amount
of lubricant grease and maintain
relubricating with less grease than
I set before.
Machine motor.
Select correct lubricant viscosity.
Bearing torque performance would
be one of the considerations when
we evaluated grease.
From the user’s point of view, following
OEM’s preload or endplay bearing
installation recommendations assures
long bearing life.
Modeling based—high pressure
rheological measurements of viscosity
and density. New lubricants have
drastically difference properties than I used aerostatic bearings for micro- It is helping to extend bearing service life.
those assumed for classical tribo- turbine rotation stability. I developed a Moving to a grease with a better
logical equations. In application—precision numerical solution algorithm to optim– rheological profile helped to reduce
flow rate control for oil-based systems. ize bearing design parameters in order to churning losses in the bearing. It also did
Actual load monitoring to reduce bearing achieve maximum stable inertial force not get as hot during running in.
load fluctuations when possible. Accu- (using linear stability analysis). This led to
rate setting methods. Preload/endplay the enhancement of micro-turbine rota-
will affect thermal growth margins. tion frequency from 25 kHz to 100 kHz.

The right lubricant in the right amount Selection of suitable base fluids, additives
in the right conditions. It is very and thickeners. Consideration of the
oil separation and flow properties of a

WWW.STLE.ORG TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY APRIL 2023 • 75

 SOUNDING BOARD

Q.2 Please describe a tribological problem that you solved

using bearing torque performance.
Selection of the system of rolling bearings and properties were found to be I solved a stability problem of a micro-
of the gear shaft loaded with various correct, but only the incorrect quantity turbine by using an aerostatic bearing.
forces, taking into account the possibility caused the operation failure. Breakaway and running torque of rolling
of reducing the frictional resistance bearings at low temperatures. Friction
Bleeding of greases mixed with each other.
of a given bearing inversely proportional torque at increased speeds.
to the load value (possible by selecting To use synthetic lubricant.
the geometric parameters of the bearings, Improved grease bearing lubricant life
With the help of motor mechanic.
but it was limited by the available free when optimizing bearing for application.
Reducing a machine start-up time and Reducing bearing internal friction by
space within the bearing system).
power consumption where the drive design and selection of correct bearing
Bearing internal optimization. is an on-demand situation requiring many type, size and integral sealing type.
stop-start operations an hour.
We have studied the aging of windmill
Have you noticed any restrictions Bearing torque was measured when lubricants and improved it.
on the current techniques with we conducted the grease selection for a
bearing torque performance? Lab demonstration showing reduction
specific field.
in friction torque by the use of friction
In some applications, bearing endplay may modifiers for railroad greases.
Yes 46% end up in bearing cage wear. So, using the
It was not solving, but mainly preventing,
proper bearing preload is essential.
a technical problem.
No 54% A hard plastic recycling machine had
Moving to a softer but shear stable
many downtimes because it worked to the
grease instead of a standard #2 grade
Based on an informal poll sent to 15,000 TLT readers. limit (the plastic was very hard). Chang-
reduced torque and the bearing ran
ing the lubricant with better cleanliness,
In case of forced draft (FD) fan bearings cooler with longer life.
better EP properties and operating at
failure, the cause was traced to
the optimum viscosity improved the effi-
over filling grease. The grease quality
ciency by up to 96%.

Q.3 Please describe the greatest benefits to be derived from

the improvement in the bearing torque performance.
Extending the durability of the bearings. I can infer that the improvements in bear- restriction number to achieve maximum
ing torque performance will produce stable performance.
Less maintenance.
reduced fuel consumption/electric drain. Improving the efficiency of technical
Longer bearing life.
System level optimization. What else units, especially those with low drive power
Reduced friction and wear for can I reduce/remove as a result of such as actuators in vehicles.
energy saving. decreased bearing torque? For example— Reduced energy consumption, improved
Reduction of power loss, tempera- external cooler size, pump size, sump bearing life and increased mean
ture reduction. size. All these add up to weight. time between bearing replacements.
Less amperage, less temperature and A safe and profitable operation, a predict- We are talking about friction reduction
more bearing life to change. able operation, that there are no and, hence, energy savings.
stops due to failures that require the
Wheel balancing. Energy saving.
entire production line.
Reduced stress on drivetrain and Extended service life, less unneces-
Reliability.
reduction in energy used. sary repairs.
Understanding of performance peak in
Improve the power loss. Reducing bearing torque reduces running
terms of bearing number and nozzle
temperature and extends life.

76 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 What are the gaps that may need to be addressed going forward
Q.4 to accurately predict bearing torque performance?

Ongoing tracking of radial and axial clear-

ances and roughness between all
cooperating rubbing surfaces (perhaps
using X-ray camera technology asso-
ciated with digital 3D image processing?).
Lubricant rheological parameters,
detailed contact model, surface
properties, random deviations for all
influence parameters.
Analysis of used oil or grease in
regular intervals.
To think in future overload and maybe
training in which grease or lubricants oil
in general to use in different applications.
Spinning and gears.
Accurately measure the film thickness real surfaces modeling and real lubricant Awareness. The reputable bearing
in a grease lubricated bearing. properties. Surface finish definition companies have application engineering
Researching best practices. beyond roughness average and bearing teams and application engineering
area curves. Real surfaces play a tools to help customers calculate bearing
major role in mixed mode friction, born torque for different parameters and
Who would benefit most with of surface asperity interaction, which can guide customers to optimize bear-
more accurate prediction of is where the majority of bearings operate ing torque.
bearing torque performance? in terms of film thickness regime. The inside temperature monitoring
Select all that apply.
Recognizing that it is important to main- and control.
tain constant training that allows rec- Improve measuring techniques. Use of
OEMs 52% ognizing the root cause and symptoms. hydrostatic bearings for measuring
Equipment and rigs to make measurement friction torque in rolling element bearings.
more accurate and affordable. Trying to measure bearing torque on
End-users 81%
Better mathematical modeling of individual bearings is a challenge, and
nozzle/orifice shape effect (source term mostly losses are within the uncertainty
Lubricant 48% in Reynolds equation) in the numerical of measurement. More sophisticated
manufacturers calculation of bearing stability will help instrumentation can be used, but that adds
in achieving more stable performance. to the cost of the measuring equipment.
Further, the precession motion needs to
Bearing 56%
be modeled for such micro-turbines.
manufacturers Editor’s Note: Sounding Board is based
Better test methods must be developed on an informal poll sent to 15,000
Based on an informal poll sent to 15,000 TLT readers. Total to be able to predict churning of TLT readers. Views expressed are those
exceeds 100% because respondents were allowed to choose
more than one answer.
lubricating greases in roller bearings. of the respondents and do not reflect
The lubricating grease developer the opinions of the Society of Tribologists
Bearing longevity is directly related can then derive which thickeners and and Lubrication Engineers. STLE
to proper preload or endplay, depending other formulation components have does not vouch for the technical accuracy
on the application. Ideal bearing a beneficial effect on low friction, of opinions expressed in Sounding
torque performance does not necessarily particularly in the case of high-speed Board, nor does inclusion of a comment
translate into longer bearing life. rolling bearings. Excessive churning represent an endorsement of the
of grease increases the friction losses technology by STLE.
Increase in readily available thermal-
of roller bearings, especially roller
elastohydrodynamic lubrication (TEHL)
bearings at high speeds.
solution methods that incorporate

WWW.STLE.ORG TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY APRIL 2023 • 77

ADVERTISERS INDEX
APRIL 2023 / VOLUME 79 / NO. 4
Next in TLT:

May
Company Page Ad close: March 24
Acme-Hardesty Co. 49 Materials: March 31
(Pre-convention issue!)
Analytik Jena 57
• Grease
Azelis L&MF US 33 • Safety, Health &
Cannon Instrument Co. 39 Regulatory Affairs
• Oil Analysis
Dover Chemical Corp. IBC • Hydraulics
Eastman 67 • Base Oils

Evonik Oil Additives 3

June
Faith-Full MWF Consulting 87 Ad close: April 12
HYDAC 55 Materials: April 19
(Convention issue! Bonus
Italmatch Chemicals Group IFC Distribution: STLE 2023 Annual
J.A.M. Distributing Co. 7 Meeting & Exhibition, May
21-25, Long Beach, Calif.; NLGI,
King Industries, Inc. 5 June 4-7, San Diego, Calif.)
LANXESS Corp. 11 • Marine Tribology
• Synthetic Lubricants
MJ Tribology 83
• Seals
Napoleon Engineering Services 45 • Automotive Tribology
• Microbiology
Pelichem Associates 79
Sea-Land Chemical Company 21
July
STLE 2023 Annual Meeting & Exhibition 65 Ad close: May 26
Materials: May 30
STLE 2023 Annual Meeting Exhibitor
81 (Post-convention issue!)
Appreciation Hours
STLE 2023 Annual Meeting • Bearings
73 • Automotive Tribology
Marketing Opportunities
• Grease
STLE Membership 69 • Oil Analysis
STLE Volunteers 61 • Electric Vehicles
• Condition Monitoring
TLT Bonus Content 64
Tribonet 85 August
Univar Solutions 25 Ad close: June 23
Materials: June 30
Vanderbilt Chemicals, LLC 29
• Condition Monitoring
Yasho Industries Ltd. 9 • Lubrication Fundamentals
Zschimmer & Schwarz Inc. OBC • Oil Analysis
• Metalworking Fluids
• Automotive Tribology
• Aviation Lubricants
For information on how to customize a multi-
media marketing program that reaches 15,000
lubricant-industry decision-makers, contact:
National Sales Manager, Tracy Nicholas VanEe,
(630) 922-3459 • [email protected]

78 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

RESOURCES

Technical Books Industry Conferences and Events

Rolling Bearing Tribology: Tribology and Failure Modes

of Rolling Element Bearings

Author: Gary Doll

Publisher: Elsevier

“Rolling Bearing Tribology: Tribology and Failure Modes of Roll-

ing Element Bearings” discusses the machine elements that are
used to accommodate motion on or about shafts in mechanical
systems, with ball bearings, cylindrical roller bearings, spheri-
cal roller bearings and tapered roller bearings reviewed. Each
bearing type experiences different kinds of motion and forces 1st International Conference
with their respective raceway, retainers and guiding flanges. The on Tribology and Sustainable
material in this book identifies the tribology of the major bearing Lubrication (Nextlub)
types and how that tribology depends upon materials, surfaces
and lubrication. In addition, the book describes the best practices April 18-19
to mitigate common failure modes of rolling element bearings. It Duesseldorf, Germany
also discusses important tribological implications surrounding
the performance and durability of rolling element bearings, describes how the different Sustainability, ecological and geopolitical
types of roller bearings work and explores the reasons behind the failure of roller bearings demands create new challenges for tribol-
and presents information on how to mitigate those failures. Available at www.elsevier.com. ogists and lubrication experts. Promoting
List Price: $190 (USD), paperback. appropriate innovative technologies and
closing knowledge gaps are the intentions
of the 1st International Conference on
Polymeric Corrosion Inhibitors for Greening the Chemical Tribology and Sustainable Lubrication
and Petrochemical Industry (Nextlub). The conference is organized by
the Research Association Drive Technology
Editors: Mohammad Abu Jafar Mazumder, Mumtaz A. Quraishi and Amir Al-Ahmed e.V. (FVA), the German Society for Tribol-
Publisher: Wiley ogy e.V. (GfT) and the German association
of medium-sized mineral oil companies
“Polymeric Corrosion Inhibitors for Greening the Chemical and Pet- (UNITI) and will be held April 18-19 in the
rochemical Industry” provides an extensive overview of polymeric Maritim Hotel in Duesseldorf, Germany.
corrosion inhibitors for chemical and petrochemical industry— For more information, visit https://www.
from design, synthesis and characterization—to applications. The nextlub.com.
text discusses the different media in which corrosion is observed
and enables readers to minimize/prevent pipes and other plant Tribology International
systems’ failures by adequately dealing with corrosion. Consid- Conference 2023
ering the high importance of corrosion inhibitors development
for the chemical and petrochemical industries, this book aims to April 26-28
provide fundamental and current practice with comprehensive Lisbon, Portugal
coverage of the recent advancements of green polymeric corro-
sion inhibitors that could be used. The text systematically presents fundamentals, up-to-date The Tribology International Conference
development and industrial applications of polymeric corrosion inhibitors. In this book, 2023 will run this year jointly with the Sur-
readers can expect to find specific information on water- and oil-soluble polymeric corrosion faces, Interfaces and Coatings Technologies
inhibitors, plus polymeric corrosion inhibitors for acid, CO2 (sweet), H2S (sour), cooling water International Conference SICT 2023 and the
and basic media; polymers as kinetic hydrate inhibitors, high-temperature polymeric corro- Plasma Tech 2023 conference in Lisbon,
sion inhibitors and polymeric inhibitors for microbiologically influenced corrosion; surface Portugal, April 26-28.
characterization techniques in corrosion inhibition research and guidelines for designing These joint conferences provide an
corrosion inhibitors for oil and gas production; and the impact of corrosion inhibitors as international exchange forum for the in-
green polymeric materials and what they mean for the future of the field. Available at www. dustry and academia. Leading university
wiley.com. List Price: $185 (USD), hardcover. researchers present their latest find-
ings, and representatives of the industry
inspire scientists to develop new solu-
tions. The Tribology International

80 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 YOU’RE
INVITED!

Exhibitor Appreciation Hours

Monday and Tuesday, May 22 & 23, 3-4 pm both days
Long Beach Convention Center | Long Beach, California (USA)
Refreshments will be served!
77th STLE Annual Meeting & Exhibition
The trade show is a major component of STLE’s Annual Meeting.
,Q67/(LVPDNLQJLWHYHQHDVLHUIRU\RXWRƓWDYLVLWWR
the exhibition into your personal itinerary with two hours of
dedicated exhibit time—no need to worry about missing a
Commercial Marketing Forum presentation, education course or
technical session!

Come view the newest products and services from the lubricant
industry’s leading companies. More than 100 companies from
every corner of the industry will be represented and looking to
do business with you. LONG BEACH
May 21-25, 2023
As part of the Exhibitor Appreciation Hour, Evonik Oil Additives
86$,QFLVKROGLQJUDIŴHVRQ0RQGD\DQG7XHVGD\0D\DQG
23, at 3:30 pm in the exhibit hall. You must be present at Booth
205 at time of drawing to win. Evonik Oil Additives USA, Inc. is
UDIŴLQJWZR<HWLVRIWFRROHUV

2023 Exhibit Schedule

Monday: Noon–5 pm (Exhibitor Appreciation Hour 3–4 pm) Exhibitors: To reserve a spot at
the 2024 STLE exhibition at the
Tuesday: 9:30 am–Noon & 2–5:30 pm (closed for President’s Minneapolis Convention Center
Luncheon - Noon–2 pm. Exhibitor Appreciation Hour 3–4 pm) in Minneapolis, Minn., contact
Tracy Nicholas VanEe at
Wednesday: 9:30 am–Noon
(630) 922-3459,
[email protected].

Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers

840 Busse Highway, Park Ridge, Illinois 60068 (USA)
P: (847) 825-5536 | F: (847) 825-1456 | www.stle.org | [email protected]
Follow us on:
 RESOURCES

Industry Conferences and Events (continued)

Leading personalities from research and This conference brings together senior ex-
development, experienced technicians as ecutives and experts from the coatings in-
well as experts in the efficient application dustry, policy makers, consultants, technol-
of lubricants meet there. The OilDoc confer- ogy innovators and leading market analysts
ence with its international exhibition is the to discuss the latest challenges and devel-
perfect platform to learn about the latest opments within the industry and benefit
scientific findings and research results. It from excellent networking opportunities. It
provides practitioners from maintenance also provides updates and future forecasts
and condition monitoring from different in- on the latest industry’s technology trends.
dustries with many valuable impulses on It will feature numerous interactive ses-
how to master their daily lubrication chal- sions, presentations and case studies from
Conference 2023 main topics include sur- lenges even better. For more information, key industry players and provide excellent
face engineering in tribology; tribochem- visit https://conference.oildoc.com. live networking opportunities with senior
istry; tribosurfaces; coatings, surfaces level peers. For more information, visit
and underlying mechanisms; wear and Future of Surfactants Summit www.wplgroup.com/aci/event/biobased-
friction; contact mechanics; biotribology/ coatings-europe/.
biomimetics; nanotribology; lubricants and May 16-17
additives; sustainable lubrication; and more. London, UK ALIA Annual Meeting 2023
For more information, visit www.setcor.org/
conferences/tribology-2023. The 7th Future of Surfactants Summit will June 12-14
once again bring together leading execu- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2023 AOCS Annual Meeting & Expo tives and experts from across the entire
value chain for two days of informative The theme of the ALIA (Asian Lubricants
April 30-May 3 presentations. It will feature interactive Industry Association) Annual Meeting 2023
Denver, Colo. discussions on how to overcome current is “Developing Resilience and Robustness
market challenges, review upcoming reg- in an Uncertain World.” The annual meet-
The 2023 American Oil Chemists’ Society ulatory implementation and identify exist- ing plans to bring together presenters and
(AOCS) Annual Meeting & Expo is April 30 ing opportunities for growth and provide panelists to present and discuss possible
to May 3, at the Colorado Convention Center attendees with excellent networking oppor- scenarios. This event will provide valuable
in Denver, Colo.—the premier international tunities. Key topics include a surfactants insights and strategies for navigating the
science and business forum on fats, oils, market overview, market overview of sur- challenges and uncertainties facing the
surfactants, proteins and related materi- factant feedstock, REACH revision under lubricants industry today. The conference
als. Chemists bring creative solutions to big the Chemicals Strategy, European Green will feature a range of expert speakers
issues like sustainability, changing consum- Deal, moving to a new supply chain for sur- and panel discussions on topics including
er expectations and navigating complex factants and how to do it effectively, bene- the current state and future scenarios
regulatory environments. Connect with fits of the new supply chain to the industry, for the global lubricants market and the
other passionate professionals to ignite digital business models, new surfactants challenges and opportunities it presents;
new ideas—improving people’s lives around applications, current and future types of strategies for building resilience and ro-
the world, and discover the latest research. biodegradable surfactants and more. For bustness in an uncertain business envi-
Share your ideas and research with fellow more information, visit www.wplgroup. ronment; and options for managing risks
attendees to gain new perspectives and com/aci/event/surfactants-summit/. and uncertainties in demand, supply chain
discuss innovations. For more information, and operations. The ALIA Annual Meeting
visit https://annualmeeting.aocs.org. Biobased Coatings Europe 2023 will provide valuable insights and practi-
cal strategies for navigating the challenges
OilDoc Conference & Exhibition June 6-7 facing businesses. It is an opportunity to
Amsterdam, the Netherlands learn from experts and network with oth-
May 9-11 er industry leaders. For more information,
Rosenheim, Germany Following the success of Biobased Coat- visit https://asianlubricants.org/event/
ings Europe 2022, which brought more alia-annual-meeting-2023/.
The OilDoc Conference & Exhibition is the than 230 senior level industry profes-
trend-setting and established event in sionals to Amsterdam in June 2022,
Europe around the topics of lubrication, Biobased Coatings Europe 2023 returns
maintenance and condition monitoring. to Amsterdam, the Netherlands, June 6-7.

82 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 Lubrication, Maintenance and conveniently located within a short walking Lubricant Expo
Tribotechnology (LUBMAT 2023) distance of direct rail links to Manchester
Airport and a range of hotels are available Sept. 26-28
July 17-19 nearby. Networking events are includ- Messe Essen, Germany
Preston, Lancashire, England ed in the conference fee. For more infor-
mation, visit www.uclan.ac.uk/events/ The Lubricant Expo is
The Eighth European Conference and Ex- listing/lubmat. a free-to-attend exhi-
hibition on Lubrication, Maintenance and bition and conference,
Tribotechnology (LUBMAT 2023) will offer ITC Fukuoka 2023 connecting lubricant
an academic/industry interface to discuss solution providers
lubrication, maintenance and tribotechnol- Sept. 25-30 with the full range of end-user buyers, as
ogy. Exhibition space is available for hire Fukuoka, Japan well as the entire chemical and equipment
by industrial suppliers alongside opportu- supply chain.
nities for commercially orientated presen- Following the last International Tribology Visitors from both the lubricant com-
tations in sponsored sessions. Network- Conference (ITC) held in Sendai, Japan, in munity and end-user OEMs will find a
ing events include a visit to a Lancashire September 2019, the Japanese Society of comprehensive showcase of all lubricant
stately home and a heritage steam railway Tribologists (JAST) is organizing the next technologies, including finished lubricants,
experience. LUBMAT 2023 will be held in ITC in another historical city—Fukuoka, additives, process equipment and machin-
the new Engineering Innovation Centre Japan. The conference will be held Sept. ery, condition monitoring, automation sys-
(EIC), located at the Preston Campus of 25-30. The venue is Fukuoka Internation- tems, testing and analysis, data technolo-
the University of Central Lancashire. The al Congress Center located very close to gies, lubricant manufacturing equipment,
conference will include plenary presenta- downtown Fukuoka. end-user application systems and more.
tions from key experts, parallel sessions For more information, visit www. For more details, visit https://
and an exhibition. The conference venue is itc2023.jp. lubricantexpo.com/.

WWW.STLE.ORG TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY APRIL 2023 • 83

AUTOMOTIVE TRIBOLOGY

Gravity
batteries
This new technology can store
significant amounts of energy
from wind and solar sources.

By Dr. Edward Becker The gravity battery, however, stores en- economically viable alternative to chemical
Contributing Editor ergy in the gravitational potential of large batteries for extending the utility of wind
weights. Energy is expended to raise the and solar plants.
You are probably familiar with various weight and recovered as the weight falls These devices can be placed in high-
types of batteries based on their chemistry: (in a controlled fashion, of course). This is rise structures designed to blend in with
lead-acid, carbon-zinc, nickel-cadmium, how clocks were, and still are, powered, the surrounding architecture, making them
lithium-ion and air batteries, to name a few. from small cuckoo clocks to giant bell tower acceptable in both urban and rural environ-
But have you heard of the gravity battery? clocks, such as Big Ben in London. The key ments. Another possibility being actively
It could be the next big enabling technolo- enabler for gravity batteries comes from explored is to use existing mine shafts, so
gy for the electrical grid to expand the use the electric vehicle, specifically, regenera- the weights would be underground.
of renewable sources such as solar and tive braking. Is the term “battery” really appro-
wind power. priate for this type of energy storage?
The obvious problem with solar and The gravity battery could While contemporary usage of the term
wind is that the sun doesn’t always shine, be the next big enabling implies “chemical battery,” in fact, “bat-
and the wind doesn’t always blow. General- technology for the electrical tery” originally referred to a collection of
ly speaking, this has limited these sources grid to expand the use of military weapons, such as artillery, mor-
to a supplementary role, with more tradi- tars and rocked launches. It was Benjamin
renewable sources such as
tional sources, such as coal, natural gas, Franklin who first used the term for storage
nuclear and hydroelectric plants, making
solar and wind power. of electrical energy, when he linked togeth-
up the majority of electrical generation. Regenerative braking uses the momen- er a series of capacitors and called it a “bat-
To become more reliable, wind and solar tum of the vehicle to essentially run the tery.” So really, to be a gravity “battery”
facilities need a way to store excess energy motor in reverse, functioning as a genera- there just needs to be two or more of them
when they are producing, and tap the stored tor and routing electrical power back to the in one location!
energy at night or on calm days. Batteries battery. The ability to use a single motor- Ed Becker is a Fellow and Past President
are clearly one choice for this task. generator, and rapidly switch between of STLE. He is currently president of
Of course, batteries to store significant these modes of operation, makes the grav- Friction & Wear Solutions, LLC and can
amounts of energy are large, expensive and ity battery economically viable. Modern re- be reached through his website at www.
already in high demand for electric vehi- generative braking systems are over 70% frictionandwearsolutions.com.
cles. On the plus side, the latest generation efficient, and in the case of stationary, large-
of lithium-ion batteries are over 90% effi- scale applications, such as gravity batter-
cient, so relatively little energy would be ies, could be even more efficient. Combined
wasted by this method. with lower cost, the gravity battery is an

84 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

CUTTING EDGE

What a difference an OH makes!

Ricinoleic acid appears to reduce friction and wear drastically
for steel-silicon nitride pairs, compared to closely related fatty acids.
The distinguishing factor is an extra hydroxyl group.

By Drs. Wilfred T. Tysoe &

Nicholas D. Spencer
Contributing Editors

Fatty acids have long been known to reduce chemical factors that can influence the other two acids. The wear scar on the RA-
friction under boundary-lubrication condi- effectiveness of fatty acids in lubrication. lubricated steel pin was found to be consid-
tions, although the mechanisms also have The three acids have different viscous erably shallower than those formed when
been robustly debated.1 The differences properties due to their different structures using OA or LA as lubricants. By reducing
in performance of fatty acids are partially and compositions. RA, with its mid-chain the temperature to 80 C or below, μ for the
explained by chain length, but also by the hydroxyl group, shows higher viscosity RA-lubricated system fell below 0.005, even
degree of unsaturation, which can lead to at all temperatures due to intermolecular at extremely low speeds, at which fluid-film
variations in surface packing densities and hydrogen bonding. In order to maintain a lubrication can be neglected.
in the amount of interchain crosslinking. uniform viscosity of 11 mPa.s-1 for all three
The three acids have
different viscous
properties due to their
different structures
and compositions.
Scanning electron microscopy/ener-
gy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS)
analysis of the steel surfaces after RA-
lubricated sliding indicated only the pres-
ence of carbon, oxygen and iron. In con-
trast, the other cases showed considerable
amounts of silicon and, for OA, also nitrogen,
suggesting transfer of Si3N4. Raman analy-
ses revealed that while sliding under OA
and LA resulted in significant wear debris,
consisting of iron oxides and C/Si-based
materials, no debris could be detected in the
RA case. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
Figure 1. Molecular structures of ricinoleic, oleic and linoleic acids. (XPS) analyses showed the presence of car-
boxylate in all three cases—implying that
In a recent study comparing oleic acids, the authors carried out reciprocating the acids were all chemisorbed to the steel
acid (OA), ricinoleic acid (RA) and linoleic tribological tests, between a steel pin and surfaces—but that the RA-lubricated sam-
acid (LA) (see Figure 1) as lubricants of a a silicon nitride disk, at temperatures of 60 ple had the largest surface concentration
steel-silicon nitride sliding pair,2 Maria- C (OA), 50 C (LA) or 100 C (RA). The load of C-OH groups. Lateral-force microscopy
Isabel de Barros Bouchet and her col- was 70 N and the friction coefficient, μ, was experiments found that the RA-lubricated
leagues Yun Long, Jean-Michel Martin and measured at 3 mm.s-1. The μ value for RA, sample uniquely displayed low-friction
Frederic Dubreuil of the École Centrale de after running in for one hour, was 0.014, patches across the surface, with atomic
Lyon, France, showed that there are other compared to ≈4x higher values for the force microscopy (AFM) confirming that

86 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

 there was only minimal scratching of that This work is an exquisite combina- 1. Spikes, H.A. (2015), “Friction modifier
sample following tribological testing. tion of tribological and surface-analytical additives,” Tribology Letters, 60, pp. 1-26.
approaches that not only yields a de- 2. Long, Y., Martin, J-M., Dubreuil, F. and De
This work is an exquisite tailed molecular-scale understanding of a Barros Bouchet, M-I. (2022), “Achieving
superlubricity of ricinoleic acid in the steel/
combination of potentially important lubricant additive, but
Si3N4 contact under boundary lubrication,”
tribological and surface- also points the way to future, targeted de- Tribology Letters, 70, p. 109.
sign of better friction-modifier additives.
analytical approaches.
The wealth of analytical data obtained Eddy Tysoe is a distinguished professor
following tribological testing allowed the of physical chemistry at the University of
authors to propose a mechanism to ex- Wisconsin-Milwaukee. You can reach
plain why the RA so effectively lubricates him at [email protected].
the steel/Si3N4 pair. The RA produces an
OH-terminated layer (in contrast to the Nic Spencer is emeritus professor of
CH3-terminated layers formed by the oth- surface science and technology at the ETH
er acids), which leads to reduced adhesive Zurich, Switzerland, and editor-in-
and lateral forces, as has been previously chief of the STLE-affiliated Tribology
observed in other systems. The OH termi- Letters journal. You can reach him
nation on the RA-formed layer then appears at [email protected].
to inhibit the transfer of silicon nitride and
limit iron oxide wear-particle formation.

WWW.STLE.ORG TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY APRIL 2023 • 87

MA
MACHINERY
A C HINE
E RY
Y

Recycling of electric
vehicle batteries
Processing spent batteries to obtain
raw materials will be an essential part of
the future supply chain.

By Don Smolenski
Contributing Editor

As the percentage of electric vehicles than just an ecofriendly initiative; it will be conditions and other human rights abuses.
(EVs) in the marketplace rapidly increases, an essential part of the battery material In addition, China has major stakes in cobalt
there has been considerable attention paid supply chain. mining and refining, as well as lithium, fur-
to sourcing of virgin raw battery materi- Lithium is certainly an essential battery ther raising supply chain concerns.
als. Much less attention has been paid to material and is produced by evaporation It is abundantly clear that there are po-
the ultimate fate of EV batteries at the end processes, mostly in arid regions in Argen- tential supply chain uncertainty issues for
of life, however. It’s clear that repurposing tina, Bolivia and Chile.2 A problem, howev- essential EV battery materials, including
or recycling EV batteries will become in- er, is that the recovery process damages unacceptable environmental issues, egre-
creasingly important as EV batteries reach protected areas and wetlands, and further gious child labor, unsafe working conditions
end of life, which is estimated by various exacerbates water shortages for local and and human rights violations. Recycling of
sources as 100,000 to 200,000 miles or 10 indigenous people. It takes 250 tons of ore EV batteries is much more than a good
to 15 years. An intermediate step before and 750 tons of brine to produce a ton of social and environmental practice; it’s
recycling is that of repurposing batteries.1 battery-grade lithium, but only about 28 an essential component of a sufficient
Approximately 75% of the battery life re- tons of used lithium-ion batteries. raw material supply chain. The business
mains after its use in a vehicle. Some “spent Nickel also is problematic. For every case is obvious.
batteries” have been used to build arrays 100 kW-hour battery, over 60 kg of nickel is Look for more details on the EV battery
for storing energy produced by solar pan- required.2 Worldwide production of nickel recycling processes in a future column.
els or wind turbines during off peak usage can currently only produce about half of the
hours. Others are used to provide power in estimated requirement. In addition, Russia
Don Smolenski is president of his
remote locations, where reliable grid pow- is the third largest global nickel producer,
own consultancy, Strategic Management
er is just not available. which adds to the supply uncertainty. Also,
of Oil, LLC, in St. Clair Shores, Mich.
nickel is sometimes mined in environmen-
You can reach him at donald.smolenski@
It’s clear that repurposing tally unacceptable ways. For instance, a
gmail.com.
or recycling EV batteries huge Chinese-owned nickel mine in New
will become increasingly Guinea is estimated to dump 680,000 tons
of waste annually into a local bay. It’s clear 1. RePurpose Energy Inc., www.repurpose.
important as EV batteries energy.
that recycling nickel from spent batteries
reach end of life. will be essential. 2. SAE International (October 2022),
Recycling EV batteries is different from Cobalt also is an important material. “Automotive engineering,” available at
The Democratic Republic of the Congo www.sae.org/publications/magazines/
repurposing and can be defined as pro- content/22autp10/.
cessing spent batteries to obtain key raw produces 70% of the cobalt in the world,
materials, especially lithium, cobalt and and there are serious issues there. Up to
nickel, required to produce new batteries. 40% of the cobalt workforce is children who
Recycling batteries will very soon be more are subjected to terribly unsafe working

88 • APRIL 2023 TRIBOLOGY & LUBRICATION TECHNOLOGY WWW.STLE.ORG

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