Tribology: The science of combatting wear. Part IX

Continuing research and development is yielding progress in several important technical areas. Increased emphasis on environmental concerns and energy conservation has impacted on conventional tribological practices. That is, certain bearing materials (for instance, cadmium and lead), are being phased out of use. In addition, new lubricants are being developed for advanced power generation and for new refrigeration machinery. Fossil fuels will eventually increase in price, encouraging development of alternate power sources. The use of light weight materials like aluminum, magnesium, composites and intermetallics in automobiles will increase. This means that the aluminum engine will become more prevalent. Budget cuts in the military will reduce the purchase of new equipment, requiring making do with existing equipment. Retrofitting with more reliable and longer lasting parts will become essential. This report describes coatings and measures taken to enhance the service life of equipment such as the application of titanium nitride coatings and diamond coatings on metals. 137 refs.