GreenCOAT - Green high-performance and low-friction interfaces tailored by the reactivity of novel DLC coatings and ionic liquids

Project duration

2017 - 2020

Project Category

international

Contact Information

prof. dr. Mitjan Kalin

Partners

 

Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN)

 

Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)

The GreenCOAT project is about designing green, DLC-coated interface based on an innovative HiPIMS DLC-deposition technology that can be tailored to operate with ionic liquids, a harmless form of lubrication that will comply with tough new restrictions relating to greenhouse-gas emissions. This compliance will soon be demanded for all heavily loaded, lubricated mechanical components in transportation and industrial systems.

Current EU and national emission legislation has, based on the United Nations memoranda, already restricted the use of some today’s key lubricants, for which there are no acceptable alternatives available. This means that if a new green interface lubrication is not developed in very near future – before the introduction of these tighter restrictions – the performance of much machinery will rapidly deteriorate, leading to massive technical, economic and social consequences.

The key industrial partners are Slovenian company Tajfun, one of the leading European manufacturers in some segments of hydraulic components, TeandM, a Portuguese company that develops top-notch innovative surface coatings, and National OilWell Varco, an American multinational corporation, a world leading manufacturer for oil and gas wells components and for the environment friendly support of oilfield services.

Current topic, high-quality scientific solutions and the collaboration of top academic and industrial partners have convinced and aroused the confidence of the M-ERA.NET programme in the successful outcome of the project, which will result in the commercialization of new environmentally friendly surface technologies for drive hydraulic systems in industry.