Le sujet de ce travail concerne une partie précise des moteurs à explosion : le système soupape /siège de soupape. Les conditions de contact sont sévères : température élevée, choc, glissement, atmosphère agressive, … Le but a été d’évaluer la résistance à l’usure sous différents environnements des aciers obtenus par la métallurgie des poudres pour les sièges de soupape. Une expérimentation sur un dispositif d'essai spécifique d’impact-glissement a permis d’exploiter la dynamique instantanée du contact et la perte de matière en fonction de l’angle de contact (les angles testés sont 30°, 45° et 60°). L’étude s’est appuyée sur : - Une modélisation numérique par éléments finis d’un contact de configuration bille/plan. La reprise du modèle mécanique du simulateur expérimental a mis en avant une évolution de la dynamique du contact d’un glissement alternatif à 30° à une succession de multi-impact à 45° et 60°. Ce résultat a été validé à l’aide des observations par caméra rapide et des mesures de la résistance électrique du contact. Les résultats numériques montrent que les contraintes de cisaillement diminuent pour les grands angles. En revanche, une déformation plastique importante a été induite par les multi-impacts. Ces paramètres sont sensibles à l’augmentation du frottement aux faibles angles. La modélisation numérique a amené des réponses complémentaires aux résultats expérimentaux. - Une analyse tribologique du couple acier fritté/ acier de roulement, modélisé par une configuration bille/plan en mouvement alternatif et sous impact-glissement. Chaque chargement entraine des processus d’endommagement spécifiques. Dans le cas d’impact-glissement à sec, la perte de matière des aciers frittés augmente avec l’angle de contact. L’examen des traces d’usure indique l’importance de l’adhésion, de l’abrasion et de la déformation plastique. L’introduction d’un lubrifiant à l’interface entraine des modifications sur la dynamique du contact et les mécanismes d’usure. La viscosité et la composition chimique du lubrifiant influent différemment sur la détérioration de la surface. Dans ces conditions, cette dernière est associée à la croissance des pores à la surface, la propagation des fissures à la surface et en sous-couche et l’abrasion. Le suivi du volume d’usure en température indique une usure importante à 180°C. Ceci est dû à la cinétique d’oxydation de l’acier fritté. A plus haute température, la surface est protégée contre l’abrasion et l’adhésion grâce à la présence d’une couche de tribo-oxydation dite ‘phase glacée’. Ce travail montre l’importance de la compréhension de la relation entre la microstructure des aciers frittés destinés au siège de soupape et leur comportement. Ces matériaux ont montré une adaptabilité parfaite entre la perte de matière et les conditions de sollicitation. Les mécanismes d’usure montrent une totale dépendance à la fois à l’angle de contact et à l’environnement. / Sintered steel is used as a material for valve seat insert in automotive engines. During operation, a dynamic contact occurs between the valve and its seat. To investigate the wear behavior of sintered steel for this application, we have developed an impact-sliding tester using a ball on flat configuration. Impact-sliding experiments have been conducted at different impact angles (30°, 45°, 60°) with and without lubrication to investigate the surface damage of the sintered steel under this contact loading and to understand the effect of lubrication. As a first step, we investigated numerically the evolution of the contact pressure, stress and strain as a function of time. In fact, owning the experimental bench test, a finite element model was developed. Numerical results show an evolution from of dynamic behavior from permanent reciprocating sliding at low angles to an intermittent motion called multi-impacts at higher angles. Experimental electric resistance measurements seem to confirm these evolutions. As a consequence, shearing stress is reduced when plastic deformation increased with multi-impacts. Wear track observations are in good agreement with these findings. Our results have shown an important variation of the wear rate in relation to impact-sliding angle. In dry condition, a low wear regime is observed for low angles; whereas maximum wear is observed at 60° angle for lubricated contacts. The wear scar in the dry contact is deeper than in the lubricated one. The damaged surface of sintered steel is examined by a Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). In dry conditions, the contact area wears out quickly due to an adhesive-abrasive process. Under lubricated conditions, a fatigue crack opening is associated to a lower wear rate. The lubricated impact-sliding condition modifies the main surface damage phenomena. In addition, a comparison of wear volumes produced using pure mineral base oil and the same base oil containing an anti-wear, anti-friction additive (ZDDP), shows that this additive has only a weak effect on wear reduction under squeeze–sliding lubrication. A discussion of basic wear mechanisms is presented to explain the observations. The present research was carried out to study the combined aspects of impact and sliding failure mechanism at different contact temperatures. The tribological behavior was investigated both under reciprocating motion and with a dynamic impact-sliding loading. The measured friction coefficient decreases as the contact temperature increases. The presence of oxides seems to be the key factor of this evolution. When the loading changes to a combined impact with slides, wear rate and mechanisms of the sintered steel vary with temperatures. Scanning electron microscopy observations coupled with EDX analysis were investigated inside and outside of the wear track in order to understand the surface accommodation with temperatures.

Il est bien connu que les particules inertielles dans un écoulement périodique ont tendance à se focaliser sur des trajectoires privilégiées. Le but de ce travail de thèse est d'étudier l'influence de cette focalisation sur le transport et la sédimentation de particules dans une fracture plane à rugosité périodique. Tout d'abord, un écoulement monophasique dans une fracture est analysé asymptotiquement dans le cas de faible rugosité. Les résultats classiques de la théorie de la lubrification inertielle sont généralisés au cas de fractures avec des parois asymétriques. Les corrections non linéaires à la loi de Darcy sont calculées explicitement en fonction des facteurs géométriques de la fracture. Le transport de particules dans une fracture horizontal est étudié asymptotiquement dans le cas de particules de faible inertie. Les particules se focalisent sur une trajectoire attractrice, si le débit d'écoulement est assez fort par rapport à la gravité. Un diagramme complet de focalisation a été obtenu, qui prédit l'existence de l'attracteur en fonction du nombre de Froude et des facteurs géométriques de la fracture. Les paramètres quantitatifs du transport ont été calculés également. L'influence de la force de portance sur la migration de particules a été étudiée également. Dans un canal vertical, la portance (provoquée par la gravité) modifie le nombre d'attracteurs et leurs positions. En absence de gravité, la portance peut provoquer une dynamique chaotique des particules. En outre, le captage des particules par une paire de tourbillons a été étudié. Le diagramme d'accumulation obtenu démontre que toute paire de tourbillons peut être un piège à particules / It is well-known that inertial particles tend to focus on preferential trajectories in periodic flows. The goal of this thesis was to study the joint effect of particle focusing and sedimentation on their transport through a model 2D fracture with a periodic corrugation. First, single-phase flow though the fracture has been considered: the classical results of the inertial lubrication theory are revisited in order to include asymmetric fracture geometries. Cubic corrections to Darcy's law have been found analytically and expressed in terms of two geometric factors, describing channel geometry. For weakly-inertial particles in a horizontal channel it has been shown that, when inertia is strong enough to balance out the gravity forces, particles focus to some attracting trajectory inside the channel. The full trapping diagram is obtained, that predicts the existence of such attracting trajectory regime depending on the Froude number and on geometric factors. Numerical simulations confirm the asymptotic results for particles with small response times. The influence of the lift force on particle migration has also been studied. In a vertical channel the lift is induced by gravity and leads to complex trapping diagrams. In the absence of gravity the lift is caused by inertial lead/lag of particles and can lead to chaotic particle dynamics. Finally, for dust particles in a vortex pair it has been shown that particles can be trapped into one or two equilibrium points in a reference frame rotating with the vortices. A full trapping diagram has been obtained, showing that any pair of vortices can trap particles, independently of their strength ratio and the direction of rotation

Les lubrifiants à base aqueuse sont très largement utilisés dans les procédés de mise en forme des métaux comme le tréfilage, car ils combinent d’excellentes capacités calorifiques à de bonnes propriétés tribologiques. Pour répondre à des exigences d’augmentation de la productivité, la compréhension des mécanismes de lubrification est nécessaire. L’objectif de ces travaux est d’établir le lien entre l’organisation des molécules en solution dans le lubrifiant et son pouvoir lubrifiant. La démarche expérimentale consiste à déterminer les propriétés structurales et tribologiques d’un système modèle aqueux, composé d’acides gras et d’éthylène diamine, principaux ingrédients des lubrifiants. Le diagramme de phases du système modèle est établi en s’appuyant sur des techniques de microscopie optique de polarisation, diffusion des rayons X aux petits angles (DXPA) et cryofracture. Pour un rapport molaire entre la diamine et les acides gras supérieur à 1, une succession de phases lamellaire, hexagonale et micellaires, biréfringente sous écoulement et isotrope, est observée avec la dilution. Une attention particulière est accordée à la phase lamellaire qui présente des défauts à l’approche de la transition vers la phase hexagonale. Les analyses réalisées en DXPA, cryofracture et RMN relient leur existence à une modulation de l’épaisseur de la bicouche et une augmentation de la courbure liées au couplage entre les acides gras et les contre-ions amines. Les propriétés lubrifiantes de l’ensemble de ces phases sont également comparées à l’aide d’un tribomètre qui réalise un contact entre un disque et une bille sous une cinématique de contact contrôlée, en régime de lubrification élastohydrodynamique. En plus des mesures de frottement, l’observation simultanée du contact permet de suivre la formation du film lubrifiant entre les surfaces et son évolution. L’influence de l’organisation supramoléculaire du lubrifiant sur son comportement est mise en évidence : les échantillons présentant une organisation lamellaire fournissent les meilleurs résultats en termes de réduction du frottement. L’organisation en bicouches de la phase lamellaire au sein du contact et ses propriétés piézovisqueuses peuvent expliquer sa portance accrue et sa prédisposition naturelle à la réduction du frottement. / Water based lubricants are widely used in metal forming processes due to their good cooling and lubrication capabilities. The understanding of the lubrication mechanisms is necessary to improve the current lubricant efficiency. The goal of this work is to correlate the structural properties of the lubricant to its lubricating behaviour. As mixtures of ethylene diamine and fatty acids in water are some of the main ingredients of such lubricants, their phase behaviour and tribological properties are investigated for different compositions. The phase diagram of the model system is established by using optical microscopy of polarisation, small angle X-rays scattering (SAXS) and freeze-fracture transmission electron microscopy (FF-TEM). For a molar ratio between diamine and fatty acids upper to 1, a succession of lamellar, hexagonal and micellar phases is observed with the dilution. A particular attention is turned to the lamellar phase which presents defects close the transition towards the hexagonal phase. According to SAXS, nuclear magnetic resonance and FF-TEM analyses, we propose that their existence is due to a modulation of the bilayer thickness and an increase of the curvature resulted from the evolution of the coupling between the fatty acids polar heads and the amine counter-ions. The lubricating ability of these phases is then investigated experimentally using an EHL tribometre that simultaneously enables contact visualisation, film thickness and friction measurements in controlled kinematic conditions. The influence of the lubricant structure on its tribological behaviour is revealing: the lowest friction coefficients are obtained with lamellar samples. The organisation in bilayers of the lamellar phase within the contact and its piezoviscous properties can explain its greater load-bearing capacity and its natural predisposition to the reduction of the friction.

Currently available solid lubricants only perform well under a limited range of environmental conditions. Unlike them, oxides are thermodynamically stable and relatively inert over a broad range of temperatures and environments. However, conventional oxides are brittle at normal temperatures; exhibiting significant plasticity only at high temperatures (>0.5Tmelting). This prevents oxides' use in tribological applications at low temperatures. If oxides can be made lubricious at low temperatures, they would be excellent solid lubricants for a wide range of conditions. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a growth technique capable of depositing highly uniform and conformal films in challenging applications that have buried surfaces and high-aspect-ratio features such as microelectromechanical (MEMS) devices where the need for robust solid lubricants is sometimes necessary. This dissertation investigates the surface and subsurface characteristics of ALD-grown ZnO/Al2O3 nanolaminates and ZrO2 monofilms before and after sliding at room temperature. Significant enhancement in friction and wear performance was observed for some films. HRSEM/FIB, HRTEM and ancillary techniques (i.e. SAED, EELS) were used to determine the mechanisms responsible for this enhancement. Contributory characteristics and energy dissipation modes were identified that promote low-temperature lubricity in both material systems.

A incorporação de óleos vegetais no desenvolvimento de formulações elastoméricas para bandas de rodagem tem sido umas das alternativas para reduzir o uso de óleos com alto teor de policíclicos aromáticos. Muitas pesquisas propõem a substituição do óleo aromático por óleos vegetais extraídos da palma e da soja, além disso, outros estudos sugerem que óleos vegetais apresentam características reativas capazes de promover a ativação em reações de vulcanização. Neste trabalho, o óleo de soja vegetal foi investigado como lubrificante/plastificante e também como co-ativadores em compostos de borracha natural vulcanizados por enxofre, no estado natural e quimicamente modificados, através da epoxidação do próprio óleo de soja. A caracterização do óleo de soja natural e epoxidado foi realizado através de análise de Espectroscopia no Infravermelho com Transformada de Fourier (FTIR) e Ressonância Magnética Nuclear de Próton (RMN-1H). Uma formulação padrão foi utilizada e partir dela outras 5 misturas foram realizadas com o objetivo de substituir o óleo aromático e o ácido esteárico pelas amostras de óleo vegetal, uma amostra branco, sem o sistema de ativação convencional, também foi preparada. As composições foram processadas em misturador fechado, tipo banbury, e após, a homogeneização foi completada em cilindro. As propriedades de cura foram avaliadas em um reômetro de disco oscilatório, e as características não vulcanizadas por um viscosímetro Mooney e um analisador de processamento de borracha (RPA). As propriedades físico-mecânicas foram avaliadas através dos ensaios de dureza, densidade, resistência à tração e ao rasgamento e abrasão, além da densidade de ligações cruzadas. A análise de FTIR confirmou uma estrutura típica de um éster derivado do óleo de soja e o aparecimento de bandas que indicaram a presença de grupos epóxi para o óleos epoxidado. As propriedades físico-mecânicas apresentaram resultados satisfatórios quando o óleo de soja vegetal foi utilizado como lubrificante/plastificante podendo ser um substituto aos óleos aromáticos, garantindo dessa forma, a redução de policíclicos aromáticos. A avaliação da amostra branco indicou a necessidade de ativadores para a reação de vulcanização, visto que apresentou propriedades inferiores quando comparadas ao padrão, provavelmente causado pela formação ineficiente de ligações cruzadas. O efeito do óleo vegetal como co-ativador pode ser verificada, contudo a reação de epoxidação, mesmo promovendo melhor dispersão, prejudicou a formação de ligações cruzadas quando comparado com o padrão, provocando baixas propriedades mecânicas. / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, CAPES. / The incorporation of vegetable oils into the development of tread rubber formulation has been one of the alternatives to reduce the use of oil with high contents of aromatic polycyclics. Many studies suggest the substitution of aromatic oil by vegetable oil extracted from palm and soybean, and other studies propose that vegetable oils have reactive characteristics capable of promoting activation in vulcanization reaction. In this work, vegetable soybean oil was investigated as a lubricant / plasticizer and also as co-activators in natural rubber compounds vulcanized by sulfur, in natural state and chemically modified, through the epoxidation of soybean. The characterization of the natural and epoxidized soybean oil was carried out by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance with Protons (1H-NMR) spectroscopy. A standard formulation was used and from the other 5 mixtures were made with aim of replacing the aromatic oil and the stearic acid with the vegetable oil samples, a white sample, without the System was also prepared. The compositions were processed in a closed Banbury mixer and after the homogenization was performed in a cylinder. The curing properties were evaluated on an oscillatory disk rheometer, and the non-vulcanized characteristics by a Mooney viscometer and a rubber processing analyzer (RPA). The physical-mechanical properties were evaluated through the tests of hardness, density, tensile strength and tear and abrasion, as well as crosslink density. FTIR analysis confirmed a typical structure of an ester derived from soybean oil and the appearance of bands indicating the presence of epoxy groups. The physico-mechanical properties presented satisfactory results when the vegetable soybean oil was used as a lubricant / plasticizer and could be a substitute for the aromatic oils, thus guaranteeing the reduction of aromatic polycyclics. The evaluation of the white sample indicated the need for activators for the vulcanization reaction, since it presented inferior properties when compared to the standard, probably caused by the inefficient formation of cross-links. The effect of vegetable oil as a co-activator can be verified, even promoting better dispersion, detrimental has hampered the formation of cross-links when compared to the standard causing low mechanical properties.

This diploma thesis deals with the study of film formation in compliant contact. Primary attention is dedicated to the influence of the entrainment speed and slide-to-roll ratio (SRR) on the central film thickness. Based on a research study of the available experimental methods, the fluorescence microscopy was used to achieve the aim of the work. Experiments were realized in ball-on-disk configuration. Firstly, a validation of the method was performed where the solid contact of the ceramic ball and the glass disk was analyzed. Since the measured values were in a good agreement with the theoretical prediction, a ball of NBR rubber material, which is commonly used for production of lip seals and o-rings, was subsequently used. The experimental measurements were performed under pure rolling and rolling/sliding conditions when the entrainment speeds varied in the range from 10 to 400 mm / s. A constant load of 0.2 N was applied. The measured data were then compared to the theoretical predictions for compliant contacts. The results showed that the thickness of the lubricating film gradually increases with increasing entrainment speed, which corresponds to theoretical assumption. Against expectations, evident influence of SRR on the film formation has been observed. In the last part of the thesis the measured data are confronted with previously published studies. Finally, some limitations of this study are discussed and recommendations for further improvement of the used experimental method are suggested.

The master’s thesis deals with a design of a radial journal bearing simulator, which is ready to implement a transparent sapphire journal bearing to an optical observation of the oil film. The first part of this thesis contains a short review of a few currently used journal bearing test rigs. The next part of the work deals with a discussion of concept variants and a definition of important parameters. The last part contains a detailed description of the designed radial journal bearing simulator. Limitations of the designed simulator and recommendations for future improvements are also discussed. The result of the presented work is the designed journal bearing simulator which will allow observing of the oil film. The work also consists a complete design documentation.

Disertační práce se zabývá chováním a odezvou elastohydrodynamického (EHD) mazacího filmu za neustálených provozních podmínek. V úvodní části práce jsou shrnuty poznatky z oblasti EHD mazání; od jeho historie, přes základní mechanismy mazání a používané experimentální metody, až po nedávno publikované studie zaměřené na transientní podmínky. Hlavním cílem práce bylo experimentálně objasnit vliv provozních parametrů a reologických vlastností maziv na chování mazacího filmu v bodovém kontaktu při jeho nárazovém zatěžování a vystavení příčným vibracím. Za tímto účelem byla vyvinuta laboratorní zařízení umožňující měření rozložení mazacího filmu a tření za kontrolovaných nestacionárních podmínek. Experimenty odhalili zásadní roli přibližovacích a zatěžovacích rychlostí na formování stlačených mazacích filmů při nárazovém zatěžování. Výsledky byly srovnávány s nedávným teoretickým řešením. Bylo ukázáno na jeho nedostatky, jež byly následně odstraněny implementací empirických vztahů zohledňujících reologii maziv. V případě příčných vibrací byly nalezeny hranice selhání mazacího filmu a určeny vztahy popisující vliv příčných vibrací na centrální tloušťku filmu a její fluktuace jednotně pro všechny maziva. Závěrečná část práce poskytuje nový pohled na reologii maziv pomocí inovativního přístupu měření třecích reakcí maziva současně ve dvou směrech kontaktu za podmínek příčných vibrací. Tyto původní výsledky rozšiřují pochopení mechanizmů EHD mazání a mohou být použity k dokonalejším návrhům strojů, a vylepšit tak jejich účinnost, spolehlivost a životnost.

The master´s thesis is focused on the design and implementation of the laboratory stand for studying lubrication of gears. Specifically, to assess the effect of lubricant contamination on gears. The device uses the Niemann closed circuit concept which in practice is called „back to back“. Firstly, in the theoretical part, the test circuits uses for testing gears are described and one of the standardized procedure for experimentation is presented. Based on research studies, basic parameters for the design and creation of conceptuals are determined. The practical part consists not only the design of this stend, but also including test run and the description of the procedure on that device. The result of this master´s thesis is the functional experimental device for the future development of intelligent lubrication systems.

The main objective of this diploma thesis is to determine the influence of synovial fluid compodition and the influence of surface microtextures on lubrication of hip join replacements. For all experiments, hip joint simulator based on the pendulum principle was utilized. Metal heads (CoCrMo) manufactured by B Braun company and and tailor made acetabular cups from optical glass were used as contact couples. Acetabulum dimensions were fabricated according to dimensions of real implants. Experiments with surface microtextures simulated walking cycle for 210 s and development of lubrication film over time was observed.Results have shown that all types of tested structures improved lubrication of contact area, where the best results were obtained for square and triangle shapes respectively. Second set of experiments was based on the fact, that the composition of synovial fluid of healthy people differs from the composition of patients with various stages of osteoarthritis. Therefore, experiments with different model fluids were compared, which in their composition correspond to different groups of patients. For the model fluid that corresponds to the largest number of cases, experiments with individual components and combinations thereof were subsequently performed to provide a more detailed description of how these components affect the film-forming mechanism. The results show, that a change in fluid composition of patients with osteoarthritis can have a major negative effect on fluid formation process within the pair.