Effect of lubricants and additives on the tribological performance of solids. Part 2. Active friction control

The paper presents an analysis of the state of the art in the study of the effect of magnetic and electric fields on lubrication and active control over the friction of solids. The lubricity of magnetic and electrorheological fluids is shown to depend greatly on the properties and component composition of fillers and to be related to the provision of the required rheological characteristics (varying over a wide range), which affect the lubricating film thickness. It is noted that the application of structural-sensitive LC systems and materials in joints is a promising method for the active and effective control over their friction.