journal article·2025-03-14Open access

Construction of High-Load-Bearing Capacity Polyamide-Imide Self-Lubricating Coatings with Various Nanoparticles Through Worn Surface of Cobblestone-like Road

Wenyong Ye, Mengchuan Niu, Lijie Bian, Chunjian Duan, Chuanping Gao, Pingyu Zhang, Yujuan Zhang, Shengmao Zhang

Coatings· Volume 15· Issue 3

Abstract

Polymer composite coatings exhibit excellent mechanical properties, chemical resistance, and self-lubricating characteristics, providing an effective solution to address the failure of transmission components under harsh operating conditions, including high-speed, high-pressure, and oil-deficient environments, which often lead to excessive friction and limited bearing performance. This study fabricated three polyamide-imide (PAI) composite coatings modified with monodisperse surface-modified nano-silica (SiO2) via direct spraying and compared their physicochemical parameters. The tribological performance of the three coatings was evaluated using ring-block high-speed friction and wear tester under continuous loading conditions. The tests were conducted using diesel engine oil CI4-5W40, supplemented with oil-soluble cerium dioxide (CeO2) nanoparticles as an energy-efficient and restorative additive, as the lubricating medium. The experimental results demonstrated that the PAI composite coating exhibited a load-bearing capacity exceeding 1000 N (66 MPa). The wear mechanism analysis reveals that CeO2 nanoparticles embedded in the coating surface form a cobblestone-like protective layer. This unique microstructure compensates for the surface pits generated by PAI matrix transfer and minimizes direct contact between the coating and steel ring. Additionally, the synergistic interaction between short carbon fiber (SCF) and the tribofilm contributes to the exceptional tribological properties of the coating, including coefficients of friction as low as 0.04 and wear rates below 0.41 × 10−8 mm3/N·m. The experimental findings could provide an experimental and theoretical foundation for the application of coatings under conditions involving finished lubricants.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Tribology and Wear Analysis · Lubricants and Their Additives · Brake Systems and Friction Analysis

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Applied Technology of Hybrid Nanomaterials, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China

State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China

Funding

Natural Science Foundation of Henan Province of China · Open Project of State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences · Postgraduate Education Reform and Quality Improvement Project of Henan Province · Open Project of China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base on Intelligent Equipment Manufacturing in Special Service Environment · National Natural Science Foundation of China

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