Ian Wark Research Institute
ARC Special Research Centre
ARC Special Research Centre
Research Area: Physics, interfacial electrochemistry, mechanical and chemical engineering
Supervisors:
Dr Jason Connor and
Dr Rossen Sedev
Description: Tribology is the science of friction and wear as
objects rub against one another. It has profound effect on our everyday
lives where common activities such as walking and driving rely of
friction and also have an associated level of wear. In many machines
lubricated parts operate in corrosive environments. When this occurs
there is often a synergy between wear, due to friction, and that due to
corrosion.
One of the most common methods to quantify friction forces and
associated wear is the pin-on-disk test. At The Wark we have designed
and constructed a pin-on-disk apparatus for exploring industrially
relevant materials on a macroscopic scale. However, we also want to
modify the instrument to monitor corrosion. Tests on well established
systems will be used to evaluate the performance of the equipment. It
will then be used to test novel lubricants developed at The Wark.
References
Dieter Landolt (2007), Chapter 10: Tribocorrosion in Corrosion and
Surface Chemistry of Metals. Lausanne, Switzerlan: EPFL Press.
