2009 Volume 19 Issue 1 Pages 18-21
According to historic papers in lubrication engineering, lubrication modes between two solids are essentially classified into three groups – boundary lubrication, mixed lubrication and full-film lubrication. This paper proposed some novel approaches for elucidation of lubrication phenomena using neutron reflectometry. For the studies on boundary lubrication, the neutron reflectometry is helpful to in-situ observe the ‘absorbed layer’ near the solid surface, while for the studies on full-film lubrication, it can reveal the density of lubricants at the solid-liquid interface. Those information will help to clarify the friction mechanism under lubrication in the field of tribology.