The effect of hexagonal boron nitride additive on the effectiveness of grease‐based lubrication of a steel surface

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the sliding and the vibrating fretting tests mechanism of h‐BN micro‐particles when used as a lubricating grease‐2 additive.

Design/methodology/approach

The fretting tests were conducted on steel/steel contacts using both vibrating fretting apparatus and the shaft‐sleeve slide fitted tester. The wear scars were characterized with profilometry. The tribological properties of grease‐2 compounded with h‐BN additive were also compared to those obtained for the commercial product Militec‐4.

Findings

The experiment showed significant differences between the results obtained from the vibrating fretting and the shaft‐sleeve sliding fitted tests. Adding h‐BN to the lubricant leads to a better performance in the shaft‐sleeve slide regime than in the steel/steel vibrating test condition.

Originality/value

The results of the experimental studies demonstrate the potential of h‐BN as an additive for preventing fretting sliding, and can very useful for further application of compound grease‐2 with h‐BN additive in industrial equipment.

Citation

Pawlak, Z., Kałdoński, T., Lisewski, M., Urbaniak, W. and Oloyede, A. (2012), "The effect of hexagonal boron nitride additive on the effectiveness of grease‐based lubrication of a steel surface", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 64 No. 2, pp. 84-89. https://doi.org/10.1108/00368791211208688