Comparison of frictional properties of gear oils in boundary and mixed lubricated rolling–sliding and pure sliding contacts

The friction responses of five fully formulated gear oils including mineral and synthetic oils were studied. This article examines the impact of contact motion types (rolling–sliding and pure sliding) and contact pressure on boundary and mixed friction properties of the selected gear oils in MTM (minitraction machine) and SRV (Schwing-Reib-Verschleiss tribometer). Mineral oils are found to be less affected by contact pressure compared to synthetic oils. Gear oils that show adsorption appear to be less sensitive to contact motion type in mixed lubrication while behave much more sensitive in boundary lubrication regimes. The ranking of gear oils for mixed friction was similar regardless of contact motion types at low contact pressures while differ at high contact pressures.

► Friction properties of five commercial gear oils were investigated.
► Mineral oils are less affected by contact pressure.
► SRR has less influence on mixed friction for gear oils that show adsorption.
► Mixed friction ranking is similar regardless of SRR at low contact pressures.