Electrified Pin-on-Disk Testing for Evaluating Lubricated Contacts under Inert Gaseous Environments

The EV electric motors operate at very high speeds and under variable speed/torque conditions and stray electricity, which can cause significant tribological problems if not lubricated properly. According to the most recent discoveries on the lubricated contacts under electrical environments, the presence of electricity alters the tribochemical reactions in the lubricated interfaces, accelerating the formation of oxides, carbides, and other carbonaceous products, which can act as third bodies to increase wear. Hence, to gain more knowledge on the effects of environmental conditions on complex tribochemical processes involved in lubricated contacts under electrical conditions, new testing methods under varied and controlled inert gas atmospheres are required. This chapter presents a pin-on-disk test proposal and results comparing the friction and wear performance of test pairs made of AISI 52100 steel under unelectrified and electrified lubricated sliding conditions in ambient air and inert gas (N 2 ) atmospheres.