Lubricant Film Melting Research Articles

Thermodynamic Theory of Two Rough Surfaces Friction in the Boundary Lubrication Mode

The thermodynamic theory of thin lubricant film melting, confined between two hard rough solid surfaces, is built using the Landau phase transition approach. For the description of a melting condition, the order parameter is introduced which is a periodical part of microscopic medium density function. The shear modulus of lubricant is proportional to the order parameter squared. The thermodynamic and shear melting are described consistently. A mechanical analogue of a tribological system in the boundary friction mode is studied. The time dependencies of the friction force, the relative velocity of the interacting surfaces, and the elastic component of the shear stresses appearing in the lubricant are obtained. It is shown that the shear modulus of the lubricant and the elastic stresses become zero in the liquid-like state. The irregular stick-slip mode of melting is described, which is observed in experiments. It is shown that the frequency of stiction spikes in the irregular mode increases with growth of the shear velocity. Comparison of the obtained results with experimental data is carried out.

Multidimensional thermodynamic potential for descriptions of ultrathin lubricant film melting between two atomically smooth surfaces

The thermodynamic model of ultrathin lubricant film melting, confined between two atomically-flat solid surfaces, is built using the Landau phase transition approach. Non-equilibrium entropy is introduced describing the part of thermal motion conditioned by non-equilibrium and non-homogeneous character of the thermal distribution. The equilibrium entropy changes during the time of transition of non-equilibrium entropy to the equilibrium subsystem. To describe the condition of melting, the variable of the excess volume (disorder parameter) is introduced which arises due to chaotization of a solid structure in the course of melting. The thermodynamic and shear melting is described consistently. The stick-slip mode of melting, which is observed in experiments, are described. It is shown that with growth of shear velocity, the frequency of stiction spikes in the irregular mode increases at first, then it decreases, and the sliding mode comes further characterized by the constant value of friction force. Comparison of the obtained results with experimental data is carried out.

Hysteresis phenomena at ultrathin lubricant film melting in the case of first-order phase transition

Within the framework of Lorentz model for description of viscoelastic medium the influence of deformational defect of the shear modulus is studied on melting of ultrathin lubricant film confined between the atomically flat solid surfaces. The possibility of jump-like and continuous melting is shown. Three modes of lubricant behavior are found, which correspond to the zero shear stress, the Hooke section of loading diagram, and the domain of plastic flow. Transition between these modes can take place according to mechanisms of first-order and second-order phase transitions. Hysteresis of dependences of stationary stresses on strain and friction surfaces temperature is described. Phase kinetics of the system is investigated. It is shown that ratio of the relaxation times for the studied quantities influences qualitatively on the character of the stationary mode setting.

Temperature dependence effect of viscosity on ultrathin lubricant film melting

We study the melting of an ultrathin lubricant film under friction between atomically flat surfaces at temperature dependencies of viscosity described by Vogel-Fulcher relationship and by power expression, which are observed experimentally. It is shown that the critical temperature exists in both cases the exceeding of which leads to the melting of lubricant and, as a result, the sliding mode of friction sets in. The values of characteristic parameters of lubricant are defined, which are needed for friction reduction. In the systems, where the Vogel-Fulcher dependence is fulfilled, it is possible to choose the parameters at which the melting of lubricant takes place even at zero temperature of friction surfaces. The deformational defect of the shear modulus is taken into account in describing the lubricant melting according to the mechanism of the first-order transition.

Stochastic theory of ultrathin lubricant film melting in the stick-slip regime

Melting of an ultrathin lubricant film under friction between atomically smooth surfaces is studied in terms of the Lorentz model. Additive noise associated with shear stresses and strains, as well as with film temperature, is introduced, and a phase diagram is constructed where the noise intensity of the film temperature and the temperature of rubbing surfaces define the domains of sliding, dry, and stick-slip friction. Conditions are found under which stick-slip friction proceeds in the intermittent regime, which is characteristic of selforganized criticality. The stress self-similar distribution, which is provided by temperature fluctuations, is represented with allowance for nonlinear relaxation of stresses and fractional feedbacks in the Lorentz system. Such a fractional scheme is used to construct a phase diagram separating out different types of friction. Based on the study of the fractional Fokker-Planck equation, the conclusion is drawn that stick-slip friction corresponds to the subdiffusion process.

Noise influence on solid–liquid transition of ultrathin lubricant film

The melting of ultrathin lubricant film by friction between atomically flat surfaces is studied. The additive noises of the elastic shear stress and strain, and the temperature are introduced for building the phase diagrams with the domains of sliding, stick-slip, and dry friction. It is shown that increase of the strain noise intensity causes the lubricant film melting even at low temperatures of the friction surfaces.