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Updated: Dec 28, 2025

Experiments on Ultrasonic Lubrication Using a Piezoelectrically-assisted Tribometer and Optical Profilometer
Published on: September 28, 2015
Ultralow-Friction and Ultralow-Wear TiN-Ag Solid Solution Coating in Base Oil
Chang Liu1, Xinlei Gu1, Lina Yang1
1State Key Laboratory of Superhard Materials, Department of Materials Science and Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials, MOE, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China.
Abstract:
Lubrication plays a pivotal role in reducing energy consumption and machinery wear, profoundly impacting technological and economic development and the environment. A recent study (Erdemir, A., et al. Nature 2016, 536, 67) reported the effective extraction of carbon-based tribofilms from lubricating oil by catalytic activation of the coating material, opening new possibilities for innovative lubrication material research and development. Here, we showcase a solute-atom-strengthened and catalytically functionalized coating design and demonstrate its implementation in a TiN-Ag solid solution film that exhibits concurrent ultralow friction and ultralow wear. Indentation tests and Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy combined with quantum mechanical simulations uncover the rare superhard nature of the TiN-Ag film along with a solute-Ag-atom-induced self-oxidation mechanism for its outstanding catalytic capacity. These findings identify an outstanding type of mechanically strong and catalytically active coating material with simultaneous superior protective and lubricating functionality, holding great promise for applications ranging from microdevices to large-scale industrial equipment.
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