Materials Under Extreme Lubricating Conditions

This research fellowship opportunity focuses on understanding the physical, chemical, and tribological processes underlying material damage in fuel-lubricated mechanical components. Many Army ground and unmanned aerial vehicles are powered by internal combustion engines designed for diesel fuel but operated on fuels that do not provide adequate lubricating ability, resulting in premature failure of fuel components. Research will seek to identify and characterize materials and material treatments that are more robust under fuel-lubricating conditions, and determine the properties and chemical interactions that allow those materials to survive lubrication with low viscosity and lubricity liquids. The candidate will work in a highly collaborative team environment with ARL engineers and scientists to enable solutions for robust and flexible Army air and ground propulsion systems. This opportunity is part of the Army Research Laboratory Research Associateship Program (ARL-RAP), designed to increase the involvement of creative and highly trained scientists and engineers from academia and industry in scientific and technical areas of interest and relevance to the Army.