Chemical reactions at the interface of two sliding surfaces determine tribological behavior in both lubricated and unlubricated systems. The study of these reactions is referred to as tribochemistry, which encompasses chemical reactions that are driven by conditions arising in tribological contacts. Applications of tribochemistry include anti-wear additives, coating materials, superlubricity phenomena, novel lubricant components, nanoparticles, and metalworking processes. In extending the Computational Materials Tribology approach by reactive force fields that can reproduce the chemistry occurring in a tribological contact to some extent, it is possible to model and quantify phenomena such as tribofilm formation or tribocorrosion at an atomic scale. By fitting the resulting reaction yields to Arrhenius-type models, the reaction kinetics can be mapped as a function of relevant parameters such as the temperature and the pressure, providing vital information for tribochemists and lubrication engineers.

Lubricated gears with section of contact area with lubricant and gears as micro view

© Forschungsgruppe Tribologie