Title: Surface interactions and tribochemical processes in Ionic Liquid lubrication of aluminium-steel contacts

Authors: Maria-Dolores Bermudez, Ana-Eva Jimenez

Addresses: Departamento de Ingenieria de Materiales y Fabricacion, Grupo de Ciencia de Materiales e Ingenieria Metalurgica, Universidad Politecnica de Cartagena, Campus de la Muralla del Mar., C/ Doctor Fleming s/n 30202-Cartagena, Spain. ' Departamento de Ingenieria de Materiales y Fabricacion, Grupo de Ciencia de Materiales e Ingenieria Metalurgica, Universidad Politecnica de Cartagena, Campus de la Muralla del Mar., C/ Doctor Fleming s/n 30202-Cartagena, Spaingena, Spain

Abstract: Room-temperature Ionic Liquids (ILs) are being studied as new lubricants in a variety of sliding contacts. One of their more interesting tribological applications is that of steel-aluminium lubrication. In this work we present the surface interaction mechanisms and tribocorrosion processes which have been found in the use of ILs formed by a 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium cation and a fluorine-containing anion as neat lubricants of 52100 steel-2011 aluminium pairs. The results obtained by electron microscopy (SEM), Energy Disperssive Spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) techniques are discussed as functions of Ionic Liquid (IL) composition and properties.

Keywords: aluminium; steel; ionic liquids; ILs; lubrication; wear; adhesion; surface interactions; tribocorrosion; tribochemical processes; sliding contact; tribology.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSURFSE.2007.013623

International Journal of Surface Science and Engineering, 2007 Vol.1 No.1, pp.100 - 110

Published online: 09 May 2007 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article