Illinois Center for Advanced Tribology

TRI - BOL•O•GY (N) -- the science and technology of friction, wear, and lubrication of interacting surfaces in relative motion.

The Illinois Center for Advanced Tribology (ICAT) is a virtual center that brings together the skills and talents of multiple investigators and unique facilities from Argonne National Laboratory and three partnering universities to resolve critical friction, wear, and lubrication issues in biomedical implants, alternative energy technologies, and extreme environments.

The Center’s tribology experts work closely with industry, and with state and federal agencies through jointly funded research projects, to perform leading-edge research on the impact of materials, coatings, and fluids on energy efficiency, durability, and reliability.

The work will culminate in the development of

• Advanced models of the fundamental mechanisms responsible for friction and wear;
• Materials, coatings, surface textures/treatments and lubricant chemistries; and
• Design strategies to improve the performance of critical components.

ICAT Projects

• Develop lifetime artificial joints that do not require replacement
• Study materials exposed to alternative fuels
• Develop advanced materials, coatings and lubricants for use with alternative fuels
• Validate the integration of tribological technologies into alternative energy systems
• Develp robust tribological systems for vehicles operating under extreme conditions

ICAT Partners

• Argonne National Laboratory
• Northwestern University's School of Engineering
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's College of Engineering
• University of Illinois at Chicago's College of Engineering

March 2009