Measurement of Sub-Nanometer Lubricant Films Using Ultra-Thin Film Interferometry

The ultra-thin film interferometric method of measuring the thickness of very thin films in lubricated contacts has been refined so as to be able to measure films down to 0.3nm with a standard deviation of 0.15nm. The main remaining source of measurement variation for films below 3nm thick is the surface roughness of the contacting solids. This modified technique has been applied to study the film-forming properties of three fluids, hexadecane, a dilute solution of surfactant in hexadecane, and cyclohexane. Purified hexadecane shows a very slightly enhanced oil-film thickness below 1nm. The long-chain surfactant forms a boundary film 2nm thick. Cyclohexane behaves as though it forms a surface layer about 1nm thick with viscosity three times the bulk fluid viscosity.     

Behaviour of several lubricants for space applications under transient speed conditions

Theoretical work has underlined the importance of squeeze effects in non‐steady‐state elastohydrodynamic (EHD) lubrication when parameters such as load, speed, or geometry vary cyclically. The present paper reports on the results of an experimental investigation into EHD film thickness under start‐stop, ball‐on‐flat contact conditions for four liquid lubricants used in space applications. The conditions studied are representative of those occurring in stepper motor bearing contacts. The lubricants investigated included a multiply alkylated cyclopentane (Pennzane™ SHF 2000), a branched perfluoropolyether (Krytox™ 143 AC), a polyalphaolefin (Nye™ 182), and a linear perfluoropolyether (Braycote™ BXL 413). Measurements were made at two frequencies (2 and 50 Hz) and two temperatures (25 and 80°C). At 50 Hz, corresponding to stop‐start time intervals of 10 ms, there was insufficient time during the stationary periods between motion for any significant collapse of the central film thickness to occur. However, partial collapse did take place at the contact peripheries. Since this collapse occurred in the inlet, it often produced a pronounced reduction in central film thickness during start‐up. It was also found that, during start‐up, a series of film thickness oscillations occurred, resulting in the film thickness becoming successively greater and less than the steady‐state value. This may have a significant effect on the pressure experienced by the contact. Although the four lubricants exhibited similar overall patterns of behaviour, there were considerable differences in the rate of film collapse and in the details of the film thickness reduction and oscillation.     

Mapping Shear Stress in Elastohydrodynamic Contacts

A new method has been, devised for investigating the theological properties of lubricant films in two-dimensional EHD contacts. A lubricated, sliding contact is produced between a sapphire flat and a steel ball. Thermal infrared emission microscopy is then employed to obtain 2-D maps of the variation of temperature rise due to friction across the contact. These maps are then used in conjunction with moving heal source theory to produce maps of energy dissipation and thus shear strength, of the lubricant film across the contact.

A series of mixtures of two lubricants, one giving high traction and one with low traction, have been studied using this technique to investigate the influence of lubricant, blending on shear stress and traction.     

Measurement of the Rheology of Lubricant Films Within Elastohydrodynamic Contacts

There is growing need for a reliable model of the rheological response of lubricants in elastohydrodynamic (EHD) contacts, not only to predict behaviour in full-film EHD conditions, but also for use in modelling mixed-film lubrication. One barrier to developing such a model is that measurements of friction actually represent averaged values over the whole, lubricated contact under study. However the fluid film conditions of temperature, pressure and strain rate generally vary over such contacts, which makes it difficult to determine constitutive shear-stress equations from friction measurements. This paper examines the various different techniques used to study the origins of EHD friction and the underlying film rheology. It then describes and applies a technique for obtaining the temperature rise maps of both solid surfaces in a rolling-sliding EHD contacts and thus shear-stress and friction maps. The work shows that the shear stress of the traction fluid studied increases approximately linearly with pressure and decreases approximately linearly with temperature in the high-pressure central region of EHD contacts.     

Elastohydrodynamic Films Under Periodic Load Variation: An Experimental and Theoretical Approach

The elastohydrodynamic lubrication regime occurs in systems where large elastic deformations, the hydrodynamic action of a converging wedge and eventually large variation of viscosity of the fluid combine to determine the formation of a continuous fluid film that separates the solid surfaces. Experimental and theoretical works, over the past few decades, have elucidated the role of various working and material parameters on the lubricant film thickness which plays a crucial role in protecting the solid surfaces from direct contact and ultimately from failure. These mechanisms are well understood for steady-state conditions; however, elastohydrodynamic contacts most often experience transient conditions, including variation of geometry, velocity of surfaces or load. In this case, the mechanisms of film formation are more complex involving film squeeze in addition to the mechanisms mentioned above. Experimental and theoretical modelling of transient phenomena in elastohydrodynamic lubrication include sudden variation of entrainment speed or load and changing geometry. No systematic experimental study on the effect of harmonic load vibration upon the elastohydrodynamic films has been published before. In order to cover this gap, this paper presents the results of an experimental study and of a simple theoretical approach on the behaviour of the elastohydrodynamic film thickness under harmonic variation of load.     

Lubricant Flow in an Elastohydrodynamic Contact Using Fluorescence

It is well-documented that parameters, such as film thickness and temperature in EHL contacts, can be measured experimentally using a range of techniques include optical interferometry, ultrasonics, capacitance and infrared emission. Considerably less is known, however, about the flow of lubricant through such contacts. Information about lubricant flow would greatly benefit the prediction of friction in machine components. This article describes initial steps to develop fluorescence as a means of observing lubricant flow. An EHL contact was produced between a steel ball and a glass disc and viewed using a fluorescence microscope. The entrained lubricant was dyed using a fluorescent species, so that when illuminated with laser light, a fluorescence intensity map could be viewed. When the contact was fully flooded with dyed lubricant, the fluorescence intensity within the contact correlated well with optical interferometric film thickness measurements under the same conditions. This suggests useful possibilities for mapping film thickness in contacts where conventional optical methods are impractical, such as between rough surfaces and within soft contacts. In order to observe how lubricant flows in an EHL contact, fluorescer-containing lubricant was placed on the out-of-contact track. The boundary between fluorescent and non-fluorescent lubricant was then entrained into the contact and the passage of the boundary through the contact was monitored.     

The Influence of Lubricant Upon EHD Film Behavior During Sudden Halting of Motion

Although steady state elastohydrodynamic (EHD) lubrication is quite well understood both from the theoretical and from the experimental point of view, studies of transient effects in EHD are currently far less developed. This paper describes an experimental investigation into EHD film behavior during sudden halting of motion. A technique has been devised which enables both central lubricant film thickness and film thickness profiles to be measured every millisecond during halting of a ball on flat, sliding contact. This has enabled detailed information of influence of lubricant on film collapse during halting to be obtained. It is shown that film collapse occurs in two stages. The first is a very rapid reduction in film thickness with only very small changes in film geometry and thus pressure distribution. This is followed, as soon as entrainment ceases, by the formation of a lubricant entrapment, and subsequent slow leakage of fluid from the central film region. This paper focussed on the formation of this entrapment and the influence of the rheological properties of the lubricant, i.e. viscosity and pressure-viscosity coefficient, on its development and behavior.     

Friction and film‐forming behaviour of five traction fluids

There is growing interest in the use of toroidal‐type traction drives to provide continuously variable transmissions for use in medium‐ to high‐power automotive engines. These transmissions require the use of specially designed traction fluids to provide high friction in full‐film elastohydrodynamic lubricated contacts. This study has measured the film‐forming and traction properties of five commercially available and developmental traction fluids to provide data needed to predict their performance in traction drives. Some differences in performance between the fluids have been noted.     

Oscillations induced in EHD film thickness by a step in entrainment speed

Transient elastohydrodynamic (EHD) lubrication conditions occur in the contacts of many machine elements, such as gears, cams, and reciprocating devices, as a result of their working cycles. These conditions also occur in rolling‐element bearings at the onset or cessation of motion. The aspect of film thickness in elastohydrodynamically lubricated contacts subjected to a very rapid change in entrainment speed has not received much attention from researchers, probably because it is seen as less problematic than a sudden fall of the entrainment speed, which theoretically can lead to film failure. For a sudden stop, however, it has been shown previously that the lubricant forms an entrapment, which is able to protect the contact in many cases when the motion resumes. In this paper, EHD film behaviour under sudden acceleration is investigated; the study covers three cases ‐ starting from zero film, starting from an entrapped film, and starting from a continuous, steady film.