Dataset of the article: Active control of friction in electrified ball bearing prototypes using electro-sensitive clay mineral-based lubricating fluids

This research highlights the development of electro-active eco-friendly lubricants by dispersing polarizable clay nanoparticles in castor oil. These smart fluids exhibit controllable viscosity and friction properties under applied electric fields, enabling reversible tuning of lubrication performance. Experiments showed enhanced friction control, improved lubricant retention, and promising dielectric strength, pointing to a sustainable approach for actively managing friction and load-bearing in mechanical systems through electric field modulation.
Electro-rheological measurements were carried out in an ARES G2 controlled rate rheometer (TA Instruments, USA), equipped with a special electrorheocell, a Keysight 33210A electric field generator (Agilent, USA) and a Trek 609E-6 high-voltage power amplifier (Trek Inc., USA). Electro-tribological analysis was carried out in a Physica MCR-501 controlled stress rheometer (Anton Paar, Austria) equipped with a customized ball bearing arrangement, a 9183B voltage generator (BK Precision Corp, USA), and a Parstat 4000A potentiostat-galvanostat (Ametek, USA) [voltages up to 20 V] or a FUG 12500 generator (FUG, Germany) [voltages up to 1,000 V].
More info: https://doi.org/10.26599/FRICT.2025.9441023