Research Center for Lubrication Technology

The Research Center for Lubrication Technology is part of the National Key Laboratory for Advanced Equipment Interface Science and Technology at Tsinghua University (formerly known as the State Key Laboratory of Tribology) and operates in collaboration with the Tsinghua University Tianjin Research Institute for Advanced Equipment ("Tsinghua Tianjin Institute of Advanced Equipment"). Under the academic leadership of Academician Jianbin Luo and the leadership of Professor Chenhui Zhang ,the team comprises experts from multiple disciplines, including tribology, mechanical engineering, chemistry, materials science, and biology. The Research Center for Lubrication Technology focuses on the research of superlubricity theory in tribology, nanolubrication mechanisms, and ultra-precision surface processing mechanisms and technologies. Its mission is to develop environmentally friendly lubrication technologies and products with independent intellectual property , leading global innovation in areas such as high-lubricity water-based diamond wire cutting fluids, third and fourth-generation advanced semiconductor grinding and polishing fluids, lubricants for wind power, high-speed rail, and new energy vehicles, as well as core functional additives and low-conductivity coolants. Committed to advancing the localization of key consumables in high-end manufacturing, the Research Center for Lubrication Technology has consistently made significant strides in commercializing university-led scientific research results.

The Research Center for Lubrication Technology's testing platform, built upon the advanced equipment and technological foundation of the Institute, received CNAS certification in October 2020. The platform actively provides external testing services, providing a wide range of tribological, lubricating oil, and metal/non-metal material testing for both domestic and international manufacturing enterprises and as well as academic research institutions.


Testing Laboratory	Physical and Chemical Laboratory	Polishing Laboratory	Office Area

Center's External Testing Services

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Core Technologies

1. Formulation technology for water-based diamond wire multi-wire cutting fluid.

2. Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) formulations and processes for third-generation semiconductor silicon carbide substrates.

3. High-efficiency polishing technology and supporting consumables for single-crystal/multi-crystal diamond substrates.

4. Formulation technology for localized wind turbine gear oil.

5. Formulation technology and application process for low-conductivity coolants.

6. Green synthesis technology for friction-reducing and anti-wear additives and formulation technology for energy-saving, noise-reducing gear oils used in high-speed rail.

7. Formulation technology for multi-purpose low-temperature lubricants.

8. Synthesis technology for extreme pressure and anti-wear lubricants in water-based and oil-based drilling fluids.

Technological Fields

The Research Center for Lubrication Technology develops technologies and products protected by independent intellectual property rights, focus on environmentally friendly, sustainable development and energy-saving technologies. These innovations provide cutting-edge theoretical insights and advanced technological applications that promote the iteration and advancement of lubricating products across the industry. The technologies are crucial in reducing China's reliance on foreign technologies in high-end manufacturing, especially during challenging times such as the China-U.S. trade war-these technologies offer significant economic value and contribute positively to society.

The specific industries and fields include:

- Aerospace

- CNC machine tools

- Marine engineering equipment and ships

- Rail transit equipment

- New energy vehicles

- Integrated circuits

- Agricultural machinery equipment

- Power equipment

- Information technology industry

Application Cases

Wind power generation is an important form of utilizing wind energy. By the end of 2022, China's cumulative wind power installed capacity reached 365 million kilowatts. However, the market for wind turbine-specific lubricant has long been dominated by foreign companies. The Research Center has developed localized wind turbine lubricants specifically designed for various operating environments, including dry, humid, sandy, and extreme temperature conditions. The performance of these products is on par with, or exceeds, that of foreign counterparts. The localized products, tested by third-party labs, have passed physical, application, and bench tests, obtaining certification from Flender.

Research Center for Lubrication Technology has also made advancements in clean energy equipment, processes, and consumables. It developed a low-viscosity oil (ETF-4) with superior thermal stability, mechanical protection, cooling, and electrical performance for high-speed electric vehicle transmission systems (≥12000rpm). This localized oil entered the market at least two years ahead of similar products from leading domestic and international lubricant manufacturers.

In response to the photovoltaic industry's demand for cost reduction and quality improvement, Research Center for Lubrication Technology has developed a high-lubricity diamond wire silicon wafer cutting fluid using a water-based synthetic formula. It efficiently meets the multi-wire cutting requirements for large, thin silicon substrates, with outstanding results in TTV, line marks, no chipping, cracking, or contamination. This cutting fluid has been successfully trialed by a leading photovoltaic equipment manufacturer, demonstrating a higher pass rate than the currently used cutting fluids.

To address the challenges and demands of precision semiconductor processing, Research Center for Lubrication Technology developed the third-generation CMP polishing fluid for silicon carbide substrates, achieving a final surface roughness of Ra<0.1nm. Simultaneously, the team is researching fourth-generation single-crystal diamond polishing techniques, aiming to achieve high-efficiency, high-precision processing of ultra-hard materials through the coupling of physical, mechanical, and chemical actions.

As the global focus on energy-saving and emissions reduction increases, and with stricter fuel economy requirements in the automotive industry, the trend towards low-viscosity and low-sulfur phosphorus lubricants is accelerating. Extreme pressure and anti-wear additives have traditionally been dominated by sulfur and phosphorus compounds. Organic molybdenum additives, especially sulfur-phosphorus-free organic molybdenum, are gaining increasing attention for their excellent friction-reducing performance. Research Center for Lubrication Technology has developed a green synthesis process for non-sulfur phosphorus organic molybdenum, pioneering a simple, high-yield, one-step atmospheric synthesis method. The product has excellent oil solubility, friction reduction performance, certain anti-wear, and self-healing properties, and low odor. Multi-vehicle tests have shown that this additive can provide a 5% to 8% fuel-saving effect.

Instruments and Equipment

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