Express Method for Assessing Performance of Lubricant Compositions Containing Nano-Additives Used for Wheel-Rail Pairs.

An express method for assessing the effectiveness of lubricating compositions with nano-additives of various chemical compositions is proposed, and a joint analysis of experimental data on the changes in the value of wear and the level of damage to the surface layers of metallic friction pairs was performed. The variation in the current relative hardness of the sample's surface, the variation in the current relative material damage level, the current value of wear, and the current level of the coefficient of friction were chosen as the key parameters to conduct a performance assessment. The level of material damage in the contact zone was determined using the parameters of the statistical law of hardness value scattering.