Study on Static Supporting Capacity and Tribological Performance of Ferrofluids

Abstract

In this article, Fe ₃ O ₄ -based ferrofluids (MFs) with different saturation magnetization (Ms) were prepared by the co-precipitation technique. The static supporting capacity of the different magnetization MF drops with a permanent magnet was tested using UMT-2 multi-specimen test system. The tribological performance of the carrier liquid and MF were conducted on a ring-on-cylinder tribometer. The results show that MF under a magnet has a higher supporting capacity compared with the carrier liquid and the supporting capacity of MF increases with the increase of Ms. With an external magnetic field applied, significant improvement in antifriction and wear resistance was obtained by using MF with proper Ms as lubricants.

KEY WORDS:

• Ferrofluids
• Static Supporting Capacity
• Sliding Friction
• Wear
• Viscosity

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 50875125).

Review led by Tom Karis