Oct 25, 2010

ASTM Committee G02 on Wear and Erosion is including a field trip in the plans for its Dec. 8-9 meeting in Jacksonville, Fla. Committee members will be visiting the Tribology Laboratory in the mechanical engineering department at the University of Florida in Gainesville. 

The Tribology Laboratory is actively involved in a wide variety of tribological research and tribology education projects. The laboratory primarily conducts studies in solid lubrication (investigating the friction and wear of materials). Research goals at the laboratory are to engineer and design materials that:

- Have improved wear resistance, which enables components made of these  materials to last longer;

- Have a reduced friction coefficient, which saves energy, improves efficiency and generally results in smoother operation; and

- Can survive extreme environments where conventional fluid lubricants are not effective — temperatures above  350^oC and below -40^oC

, vacuum environments and many others.

In addition, the laboratory is conducting research on nanofilled composite materials. These materials are made by reinforcing various thermoplastics with various nanometer-sized metal oxide and carbon fillers.

For more information on the G02 meeting and the Tribology Laboratory tour, contact Kathleen McClung, ASTM International (Phone: 610-832-9717; kmcclung@astm.org).

ASTM International welcomes and encourages participation in the development of its standards. For more information on becoming an ASTM member, visit www.astm.org/JOIN.

ASTM Committee G02 Next Meeting: Dec. 8-9, December Committee Week, Jacksonville, Fla.
ASTM Staff Contact: Kathleen McClung, Phone: 610-832-9717; kmcclung@astm.org
ASTM PR Contact: Barbara Schindler, Phone: 610-832-9603; bschindl@astm.org

Release #8710