An analytical ultra-high vacuum tribometer; application to tribochemistry in metal rolling

The demand for improvements in surface quality and increased productivity i n industrial cold metal rolling requires a good understanding of lubricatio n mechanisms. The limitations are due to boundary friction, controlled by t he physico-chemistry of lubricant additives. The phenomena are complex and require a simplified approach. Consequently, a new method was developed by using an UHV tribometer associated with surface analytical tools to simulat e the molecule chemical reactivity toward surfaces.