The awarded instrumentation allows for a modernized integrated approach to research and education of important tribological issues. The science of tribology involves interacting surfaces and therefore includes areas such as surface roughness, friction, wear and lubrication. Tribology is highly important for increasing the efficiency of modern machinery, as the estimated tribological losses in the United States are near 6% of its gross national product. In response, tribology has received much needed attention in recent decades. Integrating research and education of tribological issues is the next step needed to greatly increase awareness of the role of tribology for improving the energy efficiency of modern machinery. The development of a tribological research facility at Loyola Marymount University takes this next step.
The three main equipment components that allow for the development of a relatively comprehensive tribological research facility are: 1) ADE PhaseShift MicroXAM white-light interferometer, 2) CETR Micro-Tribometer (UMT) high-temperature module and 3) COY atmospherically controlled glove box. Each of these components is critical in different aspects and will combine to form the tribological research facility. The interferometer allows for complex analyses of surface features and is crucial for both the research and educational aspects of the research facility. This component is necessary for investigating worn surfaces and illustrating the importance of surface design for improving efficiency. The interferometer is crucial for the further development of a generalized abrasive wear law through its capacity to quantify the abrasive wear volume of a test specimen with high precision. In addition, this equipment allows for the direct investigation of the importance of surface structures by undergraduate engineering students. The CETR tribometer high-temperature module allows for high temperature tribological research using an existing CETR tribometer, which is important for simulating the tribology of practical applications under high temperatures. This component allows for investigating the possibility of decreasing petroleum usage by using bio-based lubricants such as soybean oil, peanut oil, etc., as well as re-recycled petroleum based lubricants. Such studies are necessary to facilitate a decreased dependence on imported petroleum. Finally, the glove box allows precise atmospheric control of tribological testing conditions. The glove box will allow for both research and educational comparative studies directly relating friction and wear to specific atmospheric conditions, including humidity and the absence of certain gases.
Broader impacts
The awarded equipment provides direct integration of scientific education and research of a highly important issue. The instrumentation will directly impact the scientific education of approximately 30 students per year, approximately 27% of which are underrepresented minority students, 45% of which are women and 17% of which are Asian students. Through an awareness of the importance of tribology, future engineers and scientists will have the necessary background to adequately deal with issues involving increasing energy efficiency through proper tribological design.
Intellectual merit
The equipment will educate engineering students about the importance of surface engineering by providing hands-on experience of tribological topics covered in upper-level theoretical engineering design coursework. In addition, the tribological research facility will provide more extensive research opportunities for the faculty, as well as both graduate and undergraduate students. The tribological research facility will significantly raise the intellectual capacity of the school for high-level research.
