Suppressed frictional noise on micro-triangle textured NBR inspired by ventral snake scales

Nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) is a basic ingredient of water-lubricated bearing which frequently suffers from abnormal frictional noise under certain shipping conditions. In this paper, we report a noise suppression approach of embedding micro-triangle arrays onto NBR surface by imitating the micro...

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Main Authors: Weibin Wu, Zeyun Li, Xue Yang, Qinqin Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-10-01
Series:Polymer Testing
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0142941825002703
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author Weibin Wu
Zeyun Li
Xue Yang
Qinqin Wang
author_facet Weibin Wu
Zeyun Li
Xue Yang
Qinqin Wang
author_sort Weibin Wu
collection DOAJ
description Nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) is a basic ingredient of water-lubricated bearing which frequently suffers from abnormal frictional noise under certain shipping conditions. In this paper, we report a noise suppression approach of embedding micro-triangle arrays onto NBR surface by imitating the micro-fibril structures on ventral snake scales. The in-situ friction, vibration and noise experiments demonstrate that textured NBR could effectively inhibit stick-slip friction and eliminate frictional noise originated on flat surface regardless of load and sliding speed variation within the investigated range. Microscopic topography as well as indentation and tribological characteristics of textured and flat NBR were analyzed and compared to disclose the noise suppression mechanism. Micro-triangle texture reduces the spatial frequency of surface asperities and converts the skewness of asperity height distribution from negative to positive. Periodical reduced modulus and lower adhesion force were observed on textured NBR compared to flat reference. Simultaneous topography and friction measurements at microscale by atomic force microscopy (AFM) reveal periodical frictional peak at triangle edge on textured NBR. The friction on flat surface, however, is randomly mutated depending on the microscopic defects on topography. All above characteristics indicate unique superiority of interrupting stick-slip behavior and suppressing frictional noise by micro-triangle textures. This work provides a universal routine for attenuating frictional noise on NBR and validates its suppression mechanism by multi-scale analysis. The outcome is of great significance for developing low noise water-lubricated bearings and enhancing the mute level of ships.
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spelling doaj-art-af2139190d6e4a31bfb03cdac86f1d402025-08-25T04:13:57ZengElsevierPolymer Testing1873-23482025-10-0115110895610.1016/j.polymertesting.2025.108956Suppressed frictional noise on micro-triangle textured NBR inspired by ventral snake scalesWeibin Wu0Zeyun Li1Xue Yang2Qinqin Wang3Institute of Noise & Vibration, Naval University of Engineering, Wuhan, 430033, PR China; National Key Laboratory on Ship Vibration & Noise, Wuhan, 430033, PR China; Corresponding author. Institute of Noise & Vibration, Naval University of Engineering, Wuhan, 430033, PR China.Institute of Noise & Vibration, Naval University of Engineering, Wuhan, 430033, PR China; National Key Laboratory on Ship Vibration & Noise, Wuhan, 430033, PR ChinaInstitute of Noise & Vibration, Naval University of Engineering, Wuhan, 430033, PR China; National Key Laboratory on Ship Vibration & Noise, Wuhan, 430033, PR ChinaInstitute of Noise & Vibration, Naval University of Engineering, Wuhan, 430033, PR China; National Key Laboratory on Ship Vibration & Noise, Wuhan, 430033, PR ChinaNitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) is a basic ingredient of water-lubricated bearing which frequently suffers from abnormal frictional noise under certain shipping conditions. In this paper, we report a noise suppression approach of embedding micro-triangle arrays onto NBR surface by imitating the micro-fibril structures on ventral snake scales. The in-situ friction, vibration and noise experiments demonstrate that textured NBR could effectively inhibit stick-slip friction and eliminate frictional noise originated on flat surface regardless of load and sliding speed variation within the investigated range. Microscopic topography as well as indentation and tribological characteristics of textured and flat NBR were analyzed and compared to disclose the noise suppression mechanism. Micro-triangle texture reduces the spatial frequency of surface asperities and converts the skewness of asperity height distribution from negative to positive. Periodical reduced modulus and lower adhesion force were observed on textured NBR compared to flat reference. Simultaneous topography and friction measurements at microscale by atomic force microscopy (AFM) reveal periodical frictional peak at triangle edge on textured NBR. The friction on flat surface, however, is randomly mutated depending on the microscopic defects on topography. All above characteristics indicate unique superiority of interrupting stick-slip behavior and suppressing frictional noise by micro-triangle textures. This work provides a universal routine for attenuating frictional noise on NBR and validates its suppression mechanism by multi-scale analysis. The outcome is of great significance for developing low noise water-lubricated bearings and enhancing the mute level of ships.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0142941825002703Frictional noiseNitrile butadiene rubberNBRSnake scalesMicrostructuresTextured surface
spellingShingle Weibin Wu
Zeyun Li
Xue Yang
Qinqin Wang
Suppressed frictional noise on micro-triangle textured NBR inspired by ventral snake scales
Polymer Testing
Frictional noise
Nitrile butadiene rubber
NBR
Snake scales
Microstructures
Textured surface
title Suppressed frictional noise on micro-triangle textured NBR inspired by ventral snake scales
title_full Suppressed frictional noise on micro-triangle textured NBR inspired by ventral snake scales
title_fullStr Suppressed frictional noise on micro-triangle textured NBR inspired by ventral snake scales
title_full_unstemmed Suppressed frictional noise on micro-triangle textured NBR inspired by ventral snake scales
title_short Suppressed frictional noise on micro-triangle textured NBR inspired by ventral snake scales
title_sort suppressed frictional noise on micro triangle textured nbr inspired by ventral snake scales
topic Frictional noise
Nitrile butadiene rubber
NBR
Snake scales
Microstructures
Textured surface
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0142941825002703
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AT zeyunli suppressedfrictionalnoiseonmicrotriangletexturednbrinspiredbyventralsnakescales
AT xueyang suppressedfrictionalnoiseonmicrotriangletexturednbrinspiredbyventralsnakescales
AT qinqinwang suppressedfrictionalnoiseonmicrotriangletexturednbrinspiredbyventralsnakescales