Antifriction

Antifriction refers to a set of approaches and technologies aimed at reducing friction and wear between moving surfaces. It encompasses lubrication, surface engineering, and the use of specialized bearings and materials to improve efficiency, reliability, and service life of mechanical systems.

Friction arises from interactions at contact interfaces, and antifriction strategies seek to lower the friction coefficient, minimize wear, and limit energy losses as heat. Key methods include maintaining a lubricating film to separate surfaces, reducing direct metal-to-metal contact, and promoting rolling motion over sliding where feasible.

Lubricants such as mineral and synthetic oils, and greases, create protective films that separate contacting surfaces. Lubrication regimes are categorized as boundary, mixed, hydrodynamic, and elastohydrodynamic, depending on load, speed, and viscosity. Solid lubricants like graphite and molybdenum disulfide provide low-friction performance in high-temperature or vacuum environments where liquids are less effective.

Surface engineering and coatings further reduce friction and wear. Polymers, ceramic coatings, and diamond-like carbon can lower adhesion and protect surfaces. Material selection emphasizes low-friction metals and composites, while bearing design aims to minimize contact stress and convert sliding contacts to rolling or low-friction interfaces.

Antifriction bearings, including ball and roller types, are central to modern machinery, whereas plain bearings or bushings rely more on lubricants and surface treatments. Each configuration faces trade-offs among friction, load capacity, heat generation, and maintenance requirements.

Applications span automotive, aerospace, industrial machinery, and energy sectors. Performance is evaluated by the coefficient of friction, wear rate, load rating, and service life. Effective antifriction strategies reduce energy consumption, heat generation, and maintenance needs.