Research project

Effect of lubricants on hydrogen embrittlement of steel

Project overview

Bearing steels suffer from a degradation of mechanical properties when atomic hydrogen diffuses into the steel from the contact surface. In rolling contact fatigue tests this can lead to a significant reduction in fatigue lives of the specimens as the amount of hydrogen diffused into the steel increases.
To mitigate this challenge, synthetic oils of different chemistry were studied in thrust bearing type tests to identify their efficiency and mechanism of retarding or preventing hydrogen permeation. The effect of the environment and base oil chemistry on hydrogen generation and permeation in bearing steel was explored by relating the concentration of hydrogen species in specimens with changes in the surface and subsurface of the wear track and the condition of the oil.

Staff

Lead researchers

Dr Monica Ratoi

Lecturer in Lubrication Science

Research interests

  • Organic friction modifiers and anti-wear additives
  • Langmuir Blodgett and self-assembly layers
  • aqueous lubrication
Connect with Monica

Collaborating research institutes, centres and groups

Research outputs

Hiroyoshi Tanaka, Monica Ratoi & Joichi Sugimura, 2020, RSC Advances
Type: article
Monica Ratoi, Hiroyoshi Tanaka, Brian Mellor & Joichi Sugimura, 2020, Scientific Reports, 10(1), 1-14
Type: article