A system may include an output manifold that may be in fluid communication with a reservoir and that may include multiple discharge ports. Each of the discharge ports may be configured to discharge electrorheological fluid into a housing. A recovery manifold may be in fluid communication with the reservoir and include multiple recovery ports. Each of the recovery ports may be configured to receive the electrorheological fluid from a housing. A gas remover may be positioned to extract gas from the electrorheological fluid received from the recovery ports. A housing may be connected to the system, and electrorheological fluid from the system may be pumped through the housing and the gas remover.

An ionic liquid composition having the following generic structural formula: ##STR00001##
wherein Z is N or P, and R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 are independently selected from hydrogen atom and hydrocarbon groups having one to four carbon atoms with optional interconnection to form a cyclic group that includes Z, and wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 are all hydrocarbon groups when Z is P, and X.sup.− is a phosphorus-containing or carboxylate anion, particularly an organophosphate, organophosphonate, or organophosphinate anion, or a thio-substituted analog thereof containing hydrocarbon groups with at least three carbon atoms. Also described are lubricant compositions comprising the above ionic liquid and a base lubricant, wherein the ionic liquid is dissolved in the base lubricant. Further described are methods for applying the ionic liquid or lubricant composition onto a mechanical device for which lubrication is beneficial, with resulting improvement in friction reduction, wear rate, and/or corrosion inhibition.

The present disclosure is to provide a composition comprising a refrigerant that has the characteristics of having a sufficiently low GWP, and having a coefficient of performance (COP) and a refrigerating capacity equivalent to or higher than those of R404A. The present disclosure provides a composition comprising a refrigerant, the refrigerant comprising trans-1,2-difluoroethylene (HFO-1132(E)), 1,1,2-trifluoroethylene (HFO-1123), and 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (HFO-1234yf), wherein the total concentration of the three components is 99.5 mass % or more, based on the entire refrigerant, and the three components have a mass ratio that falls within a region surrounded by a figure passing through the following 5 points in a ternary composition diagram whose three vertices represent the three components:

point A (HFO-1132(E)/HFO-1123/HFO-1234yf=42.5/1.0/56.5 mass %),
point B (HFO-1132(E)/HFO-1123/HFO-1234yf=27.1/1.0/71.9 mass %),
point C (HFO-1132(E)/HFO-1123/HFO-1234yf=1.0/30.4/68.6 mass %),
point D (HFO-1132(E)/HFO-1123/HFO-1234yf=1.0/57.0/42.0 mass %), and
point E (HFO-1132(E)/HFO-1123/HFO-1234yf=42.5/24.1/33.4 mass %).

The present disclosure provides a composition comprising a refrigerant characterized by having a coefficient of performance (COP) and a refrigerating capacity (Capacity) equivalent to or higher than those of R134a, and having a sufficiently low GWP. The present disclosure is, specifically, a composition comprising a refrigerant, the refrigerant comprising cis-1,2-difluoroethylene (HFO-1132(Z)) and 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (HFO-1234yf), wherein HFO-1132(Z) is present in an amount of 53.0 to 59.5 mass %, and HFO-1234yf is present in an amount of 47.0 to 40.5 mass %, based on the total mass of IFO-1132(Z) and HFO-1234yf.

Provided herein are compositions comprising at least one estolide compound of formula:

##STR00001##

in which n is an integer equal to or greater than 0; m is an integer equal to or greater than 1; R.sub.1, independently for each occurrence, is selected from optionally substituted alkyl that is saturated or unsaturated, and branched or unbranched; R.sub.2 is selected from hydrogen and optionally substituted alkyl that is saturated or unsaturated, and branched or unbranched; and R.sub.3 and R.sub.4, independently for each occurrence, are selected from optionally substituted alkyl that is saturated or unsaturated, and branched or unbranched. Also provided are uses of the compositions described herein.

A composition comprising a heat transfer portion and a lubricating portion, wherein the lubricating portion comprises one or more compounds according to formula (I) of the present disclosure, wherein W is H; Y is independently selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br and I; Z is independently selected from the group consisting of H, OH, (CW.sub.2).sub.PCW.sub.3, CY.sub.3, OCW.sub.3, 0(CW.sub.2).sub.pCW.sub.3, OCW((CY.sub.2).sub.mCY.sub.3)CWCW.sub.2, polyalkylene glycol and polyolester; n is an integer from 2 to 250; m is an integer from 0 to 3; and p is an integer from 0 to 9.

The present disclosure describes a strategy to create self-healing, slippery self-lubricating polymers. Lubricating liquids with affinities to polymers can be utilized to get absorbed within the polymer and form a lubricant layer (of the lubricating liquid) on the polymer. The lubricant layer can repel a wide range of materials, including simple and complex fluids (water, hydrocarbons, crude oil and bodily fluids), restore liquid-repellency after physical damage, and resist ice, microorganisms and insects adhesion. Some exemplary applications where self-lubricating polymers will be useful include energy-efficient, friction-reduction fluid handling and transportation, medical devices, anti-icing, optical sensing, and as self-cleaning, and anti-fouling materials operating in extreme environments.

The present disclosure describes a strategy to create self-healing, slippery self-lubricating polymers. Lubricating liquids with affinities to polymers can be utilized to get absorbed within the polymer and form a lubricant layer (of the lubricating liquid) on the polymer. The lubricant layer can repel a wide range of materials, including simple and complex fluids (water, hydrocarbons, crude oil and bodily fluids), restore liquid-repellency after physical damage, and resist ice, microorganisms and insects adhesion. Some exemplary applications where self-lubricating polymers will be useful include energy-efficient, friction-reduction fluid handling and transportation, medical devices, anti-icing, optical sensing, and as self-cleaning, and anti-fouling materials operating in extreme environments.

A system may include an output manifold that may be in fluid communication with a reservoir and that may include multiple discharge ports. Each of the discharge ports may be configured to discharge electrorheological fluid into a housing. A recovery manifold may be in fluid communication with the reservoir and include multiple recovery ports. Each of the recovery ports may be configured to receive the electrorheological fluid from a housing. A gas remover may be positioned to extract gas from the electrorheological fluid received from the recovery ports. A housing may be connected to the system, and electrorheological fluid from the system may be pumped through the housing and the gas remover.

Provided are a lubricant composition for shock absorbers, a lubricant additive, and a method of adjusting frictional property of a lubricant composition for shock absorbers, each capable of satisfying both the steering stability and ride comfort. The lubricant composition for shock absorbers contains a base oil and pentaerythritol esters and having frictional property represented by the following formula (1):

[00001]$\begin{array}{cc}\text{RI}\text{>}\text{1}\text{.75}\times {\text{F}}_{\text{ave}}\text{-}\text{0}\text{.05}& \text{­­­(1)}\end{array}$

supposing that a ratio ({F.sub.sa - F.sub.ave} / F.sub.ave) of a difference, at the time of minute amplitude, between a peak frictional force F.sub.sa in transition from a stationary state to a sliding state and an average frictional force F.sub.ave to the average frictional force F.sub.ave at the time of minute amplitude is responsiveness RI.