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This paper aims to examine the influence of user characteristics on preference for government service delivery channels. Preferences are understood as citizen use of and satisfaction with digital and traditional government contact modalities. User characteristics are represented by three constructs encapsulating the key elements of citizen features and attitudes.

The constructs are tested on data from a survey of 30 cities in China, resulting in 3,000 respondents, which asked questions on respondents’ use of and satisfaction with traditional modes (hotlines and service center channels) and digital modes (e-government and m-government channels) as well as respondents’ sociodemographics, technological capacity and view of government.

The results showed two important findings. First, service channel use was related to the first and second constructs (sociodemographics and technological capacity). Second, service channel satisfaction showed strong evidence of relation to the third construct, view of government.

The results of this study make an empirical contribution to understanding the features of citizens that influence channel choice for public service contacts.

This study contributes to the understanding of channel choice in three areas. First, it is an empirical study using survey data and so adds to a largely case-based and conceptual literature. Second, by looking at the impact of citizen attitudes about government and not just their sociodemographic features. Third, by examining channel choice in the context of a fast-developing country like China.

This paper aims to explore the determinants of citizens’ future use of mobile applications provided by government. Research on citizen-initiated contacts with government has focused on both non-technology and technology related contacts. Existing research, however, has not examined the impact of mobile applications or “apps” on citizen-initiated contacts with government. Furthermore, existing research has not examined satisfaction with mobile government and whether this impacts future use.

The authors examine future use of mobile apps through an empirical analysis of a public opinion survey of citizen users in four of the largest cities in China (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen).

Using ordered logistic regression analysis, this study found that the strongest predictors of future use were demand and satisfaction with mobile apps. However, there was no wide-scale evidence of socioeconomic status and age impacting mobile apps future use.

The findings in this study contribute to both theory and practice of the determinants of mobile government adoption.

The results challenge the citizen-initiated contact theory, as socioeconomic status was not a major predictor of mobile apps future use in China. The results further indicate that satisfaction was a good predictor of mobile apps future use.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the possibility of using the iron nanoparticles and iron nanoparticles coated with copper layer as additives to base oils.

Fe and Fe+Cu nanoparticles were synthesized by a reduction modification method and added to mineral oil. The size and structure of prepared nanoparticles were characterized by SEM, TEM, XRF, AAS and XRD analysis. Tribological properties of modified lubricants were evaluated on a four‐ball machine in a model of sliding friction pairs.

Spectral and microscopy analysis evidently displayed the formation of Fe and Fe+Cu nanoparticles in suspensions of colloidal solutions and oil. The size of formed nanoparticles was in 15‐50 nm range. Tribological experiments show good lubricating properties of oils modified with Fe and Fe+Cu nanoparticles: higher wear resistance (55 per cent and 46 per cent accordingly) and lower friction coefficient (30 per cent and 26 per cent accordingly). The tests show that nanoparticles provide decreasing tendency of friction torque during the operation of friction pair.

The paper demonstrates that iron nanoparticles and iron nanoparticles coated with copper layer, not only reduce the wear and friction decrease of friction pairs, but possibly also can create layer in oil which separates two friction surfaces and have some self‐organisation properties.

The purpose of this paper is to study the tribological properties of a thiazole derivatives (T561), overbased alkyl benzene calcium sulfonate (T106A) compounded with T561 and overbased alkyl benzene magnesium sulfonate (T107) compounded with T561 in rapeseed oil (RSO).

A four-ball machine was used to evaluate the tribological properties of each compound and their combinations with T561 in RSO. Scanning electron microscopy, EDX and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were applied to analyze the tribofilm formed on the worn surfaces.

Results of tribotesting demonstrated that synergistic effects exist between the overbased sulfonates, T106A and T107, and the thiazole derivative, T561. The texts of tribofilm indicated that iron sulfide and iron oxides exist in T561 single agent lubricant film and two composite additives lubricant film, and no sulfates were detected. It suggested that the addition of alkyl benzene sulfonate did not hinder the formation of iron sulfides and iron oxides. Meanwhile, CaSO₄ (MgSO₄) and CaCO₃ (MgCO₃) were detected on the worn surface of the composite additives, which were not detected on the single agent friction surface.

A tribofilm mainly contains CaSO₄ (MgSO₄) and CaCO₃ (MgCO₃) formed on the worn surfaces, which is responsible for excellent extreme pressure and anti-wear properties of the compound agents because of their high melting point and high shear stress.