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2024. 11. 13 -

Aluminium parts will last up to 20 times longer: Lithuanian technology promises a breakthrough in the automotive, defence and aerospace industries

Dr. Tadas Matijošius. Photo: Hernandez & Sorokina / FTMC

Have you heard of tribology? It's the science of friction, wear and lubrication and the challenges they present. Leonardo da Vinci was one of the first to study these subjects in detail, and today, the knowledge of tribology that humanity has accumulated is widely used in fields such as the automotive industry, medicine (for example, joint replacements) and engineering to improve the durability and efficiency of devices.

Dr. Svajus Asadauskas (1967-2023) is considered to be Lithuania's most eminent tribologist, whose work is continued today by Dr. Tadas Matijošius, a researcher at the Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC), Lithuania.

He and his team from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology have taken tribology to a new level by developing and patenting a technology that enables parts of cars, military vehicles, airplanes and other machinery to last up to 20 times longer. This is the first time in the world that such efficiency has been achieved.

(Photo: Unsplash.com)

A thin layer making a big difference

The technology is AlumaShield, a lubricating coating patented in Europe to increase the wear resistance of aluminium parts. The list of inventors includes the aforementioned Dr. Svajus Asadauskas (who started developing this coating about 10 years ago) and Dr. Tadas Matijošius, as well as Dr. Gedvidas Bikulčius, Dr. Sigitas Jankauskas and Dr. habil. Rimantas Ramanauskas.

The technology is as follows: the aluminium part is first anodised, i.e. immersed in a bath containing the required materials, and the surface of the aluminium is made porous by applying electricity to the liquid. T. Matijošius then fills the microscopic cavities (pores) by impregnating the aluminium with AlumaShield oil-based coating with special advanced fillers that significantly increase the abrasion and wear resistance. Now we have a new generation of aluminium parts that last much longer.

"In the lab, it's very important to find fillers that work. This often depends on the aluminium alloy itself, as it comes in different compositions and types. We cannot disclose the composition of the fillers, but we are talking about carbon-based chemical compounds, smart organics.

Our technology is well suited for industrial applications, especially for high-friction parts of mechanical systems such as pistons, bearings, rails, etc.," explains chemist T. Matijošius.

(Dr. Tadas Matijošius. Photo: FTMC)

From intercity to space travels

The coating has already been successfully tested several times by FTMC scientists. Perhaps the most notable example of this is the case of race car engine parts, where their lifetime was extended by a factor of eight. Dr. Karolis Stašys, Innovation Manager at FTMC, talks about this:

"Some race car engines are very small and therefore subject to huge loads, and it was common for their aluminium pistons to fail after one race. But when we impregnated them with our coating, the engine lasted for eight races. In the end, it wasn't the pistons that fell apart, but other parts of the engine that weren't coated."

The innovation may also be relevant for mountain lovers: experiments have shown that different types of climbing carabiners coated with AlumaShield can withstand loads and friction conditions significantly better.

"Carabiners are usually made of titanium. It's a durable material, but also very expensive, difficult to process, and titanium is often bought from Russia.

Another problem: over time, friction and high loads can cause the ring to break. And we all understand that when climbing mountains, this can be very risky.

So, thanks to our technology, instead of titanium, it is possible to use reinforced aluminium, which is lighter, cheaper, easier to produce and not inferior to titanium," says T. Matijošius, one of the authors of the patent.

(Photo: Unsplash.com)

Mountaineering is not everyone's cup of tea, but many of us have cars. So one of the main areas the FTMC team is targeting is the automotive industry. More specifically: suspension components.

"We all swear when we drive over potholed roads, because they're terrible for the suspension. Parts wear out, fail, break - and of course they need to be replaced. But if we had parts that were improved by our coating, the suspension would last several times longer.

Let's just think about the ecological gain. We want to live in a cleaner world, and consumer culture is polluting it. So here is one solution - to have appliances and parts that last longer.

We are already working with one car company on this issue and we look forward to more such contacts. Moreover, our technology is important for any engineering industry: by protecting small aluminium parts from rapid failure, we can save entire devices," says K. Stašys.

This is also true in the defence industry, where the durability of long-life parts of military machines is vital - you can't change them on the battlefield that easily.

Karolis also mentions the aerospace sector: 'Aluminium is the basis of aeronautical technology, and the coating developed by T. Matijošius is resistant to heat up to 160 degrees - and that's not the limit. This can reduce costs for aerospace companies: parts will last longer, air travel will be cheaper and safer, and planes will last longer.

Likewise for flights beyond Earth. In space, it is virtually impossible to replace parts of a spacecraft, so the highest quality is essential."

(Dr. Karolis Stašys. Photo from Lithuanian Innovation Agency FB profile)

The goal is to move from the lab to the factories

According to FTMC tribologist T. Matijošius, AlumaShield, a coating developed by the Lithuanians that reduces wear and friction by up to 20 times, is the first one in the world to do so.

"There are more similar patents on the market with anodised aluminium, but they are based on hard coatings such as Teflon. They are not environmentally friendly, they are ineffective at extremely hot temperatures under high loads, so it works rather poorly in the automotive industry.

At the same time, our special anodised aluminium fillers significantly increase the efficiency of aluminium, which is unique in the world.

As a scientist, working with colleagues to develop such technologies, it would make the most sense for me to see it develop into a concrete application. This is something we very much hope for and strive for," says Tadas.

About AlumaShield: https://innovation.ftmc.lt/en/technologies/lubrication-of-porous-aluminum/

Written by Simonas Bendžius