A water-soluble working fluid of the invention is used for cutting a brittle material using a wire saw. The water-soluble working fluid is provided by blending water, alkylene oxide adduct of acethylene glycol, and glycols. The water-soluble working fluid of the invention is capable of providing favorable cutting accuracy when the brittle material is cut using a wire, and thus is suitable for cutting out a large-diameter wafer. The water-soluble working fluid of the invention is especially suitably applicable to an abrasive-grain-fixed wire saw.

A water-soluble working fluid of the invention is used for cutting a brittle material using a wire saw. The water-soluble working fluid is provided by blending water, alkylene oxide adduct of acethylene glycol, and glycols. The water-soluble working fluid of the invention is capable of providing favorable cutting accuracy when the brittle material is cut using a wire, and thus is suitable for cutting out a large-diameter wafer. The water-soluble working fluid of the invention is especially suitably applicable to an abrasive-grain-fixed wire saw.

A sliding surface, which is formed using metal (SUJ2, palladium etc.) or oxide ceramics (ZrO.sub.2), is made to slide, at a Hertzian contact stress of 1.0 GPa or more in an atmospheric environment containing a hydrogen gas including a minute amount of an alcohol and water, against a slid surface including a PLC film which is a coating formed by an ionization deposition method while applying a low bias voltage. Consequently, it is possible to form, on the sliding surface, a low-friction coating that stably exhibits a significantly low friction coefficient of 10.sup.−4 order (less than 0.001).

One or more embodiments presently described are directed to lubricants and methods for making such lubricants. According to one embodiment, a lubricant suitable for use in a water-based drilling fluid may comprise one or more alkyl esters and a fatty acid blend comprising at least palmitic acid and stearic acid. The sum of the weight percent of the palmitic acid and stearic acid may be at least 50 wt. % of the fatty acid blend. The weight ratio of the one or more alkyl esters to the fatty acid blend may be from 1:1 to 3:1. The molar ratio of palmitic acid to stearic acid may be from 20:80 to 40:60.

A top of rail (TOR) applicator has a bar positioned in a housing and an exit orifice on the upper portion of the bar for delivering a friction control composition to the crown of a railhead. The upper portion of the bar slopes away from the friction control composition exit orifices. The bar may be composed of an elastomer such as polyurethane. Passageway extend from an inlet or entry orifice to the exit orifices. The friction reduction composition is pumped into the entry orifice, through the passageways to the exit orifices and then onto the crown of the railhead. The friction reduction composition may be thixotropic.

One or more embodiments presently described are directed to lubricants and methods for making such lubricants. According to one embodiment, a lubricant suitable for use in a water-based drilling fluid may comprise one or more alkyl esters and a fatty acid blend comprising at least palmitic acid and stearic acid. The sum of the weight percent of the palmitic acid and stearic acid may be at least 50 wt. % of the fatty acid blend. The weight ratio of the one or more alkyl esters to the fatty acid blend may be from 1:1 to 3:1. The molar ratio of palmitic acid to stearic acid may be from 20:80 to 40:60.

A water based dispersion that includes lubricating nanoparticles. The lubricating nanoparticles can be provided by at least one intercalation nanoparticle of a metal chalcogenide in dispersion with the water base. The at least one intercalation nanoparticle may have a geometry that is fullerene-like, tubular-like structure or be substantially spherical or the intercalation nanoparticles may include particles have each of the aforementioned geometries. The intercalation nanoparticle is surface treated with a dispersant that is water soluble and includes a polar functional group.

A water based dispersion that includes lubricating nanoparticles. The lubricating nanoparticles can be provided by at least one intercalation nanoparticle of a metal chalcogenide in dispersion with the water base. The at least one intercalation nanoparticle may have a geometry that is fullerene-like, tubular-like structure or be substantially spherical or the intercalation nanoparticles may include particles have each of the aforementioned geometries. The intercalation nanoparticle is surface treated with a dispersant that is water soluble and includes a polar functional group.

The invention provides a refrigerating machine oil comprising as a base oil at least one oxygen-containing oil having a carbon/oxygen molar ratio of 2.5 or more and 5.8 or less, and being used in combination with a (Z)-1,1,1,4,4,4-hexafluoro-2-butene refrigerant.

A method including substituting an atmosphere in a space, in which a sliding surface formed of a metal or a ceramic material, and a slid surface are disposed, with a gas atmosphere containing a hydroxyl group-containing compound and at least one of hydrogen and nitrogen, and relatively sliding the sliding surface against the slid surface by a Hertzian contact stress of 1.0 GPa or more in the space under the gas atmosphere containing the hydroxyl group-containing compound at least one of hydrogen and nitrogen. As a result, it is possible to form, on the sliding surface, a low-friction coating that stably exhibits a significantly low friction coefficient, for example, of 10.sup.4 order (less than 0.001).