Tribological Studies on Oscillating Bronze Bearings Lubricated With Environmentally Adapted Lubricants (EALs)

Different compositions of bronze materials are used for sliding bearings in various applications including those involving oscillatory motion and moderate temperatures. The compatibility of new environmentally adapted synthetic esters with different contacting surface materials helps ensure good tribological performance. The present work deals with tribological studies on oscillatory journal bearings manufactured using three different compositions of bronze materials lubricated with EALs under boundary lubricated conditions. Under certain operating conditions, alloying constituents from the bronze-bearing material dissolute into the synthetic ester lubricant, thereby leading to the formation of a copper enriched bearing surface layer. Tin-bronze with synthetic ester lubricant showed more stable friction values and roughly ten times better wear results than harder aluminium- and manganese-bronze as well as outperforming the mineral oil under the same conditions.