Research Overview


Lubrication is a technological barrier for a growing number of important applications that need performance where traditional lubrication techniques are precluded. The UD Materials Tribology Laboratory conducts research studying the nature of friction and wear, and developing novel materials and lubrication strategies for use in extreme applications.

Modeling and Performance Prediction


Novel materials with high performance and well characterized tribological properties are ultimately applied to provide the necessary constraints and degrees of freedom with efficiency and stability. The necessary embodiments significantly complicate the contact geometries and pressure distributions. Even the bushing, a well known and notionally simple tribological component, is inherently complex. It is important to understand the coupling of important factors like wear, friction, geometry, pressure distribution and environment.