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  • Number 445  |
  • August 10, 2015

A smooth ride: Argonne’s Ali Erdemir recognized for anti-friction technology

Ali Erdemir

Ali Erdemir

The national labs take an all-angles approach to getting the most bang for America’s energy buck, and one of the key areas of investigation over the past several decades has been reducing friction in an internal combustion engine. The plethora of moving parts throughout today’s vehicles represent a major opportunity for researchers to not only increase efficiency, but also reduce emissions and extend vehicle life.

Few people are more dedicated to unlocking that efficiency than Ali Erdemir. A scientist at DOE's Argonne National Laboratory since 1987, Erdemir has dedicated nearly his entire career to reducing the friction between moving parts, an effort that recently culminated in his receipt of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ (ASME) Mayo D. Hersey Award “in recognition of distinguished and continued contribution over a substantial period of time to the advancement of lubrication science and engineering.”

Greatly reducing friction could increase the efficiency of a vehicle by one or two percent, for example, a number that may seem trivial to the unfamiliar. But when that efficiency is applied on a national scale, the number becomes truly significant and greatly impacts America’s energy portfolio, said Erdemir.

Erdemir, a materials scientist by education, and his tribology research group develop lubricants, materials, and coatings, all of which are used in concert to reduce friction and thereby maximize efficiency.

From frictionless carbon to nanolubricants to large-scale manufacturing, Erdemir has run the research gauntlet in his quest to make things work together more smoothly. His discoveries of nearly frictionless carbon and superhard nanocomposite coatings, as well as a range of novel nanolubricants and lubrication additives, have been hailed as major breakthroughs in the field.

The oils and coatings created by Erdemir’s team must act in harmony with the materials with which they interact to be truly effective. “These interactions between the additives in lubricants and the surface of materials are critical,” he said. “We have to look at the surfaces in order to design better lubricants.” These lubricants, in turn, help to reduce friction on nearly all moving parts within an automobile.

But the process doesn’t stop there. Erdemir’s team develops coatings that work in synergy with oils to further push the energy efficiency envelope. “Coatings and oils work together in a lubricated environment for greater efficiency, which leads to fewer emissions and longer life,” he said.

This latest ASME award is one of many for Erdemir, whose career has garnered five R&D 100 Awards, 16 patents, 290 publications, three edited books and 18 invited book chapters. He received his education at Istanbul Technical University and the Georgia Institute of Technology. – by Greg Cunningham

Submitted by DOE's Argonne National Laboratory