High temperature lubricants for hot metal forming

In hot metal forming process, the tools, dies and work rolls are exposed to high loading, elevated temperature and high speeds, leading to the problems of high friction, severe wear, oxidation, surface mechanical and thermal fatigue, etc.. An application of lubrication is crucial to save energy from reduced friction, increase efficiency, prolong the service life of the tools or work rolls, and improve surface quality of products. The current work investigates a few potential eco-friendly lubricants that function at different temperatures. Characterisation of the contact interface by advanced analysis method can provide insight into the working mechanisms of these lubricants at different scales, and set the guideline for the design of these high temperature lubricants.