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This work investigates the governing mechanisms of minimum film thickness in elastohydrodynamic lubricated contacts. Up until now, it was thought to be governed by lubricant rheology in the low-pressure contact inlet. Through numerical simulations of EHL line and circular contacts, lubricated with fluids having the same low-pressure viscosity, but a very different response at high-pressure, minimum film thickness is shown to be governed by lubricant inlet rheology only in the theoretical line contact configuration. In real contacts however, it is not only governed by inlet rheology, but also by the high-pressure viscosity response of the lubricant. It is observed that the greater the viscosity at high pressure, the lower the minimum film thickness would be, as a result of reduced lateral flow out of the contact. Conservation of mass requires then that a higher minimum film thickness would be attained along the central line of the contact, in the entrainment direction. These findings corroborate well with experimental observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most EHL numerical calculation methods considering both starved and flooded conditions, employ a fixed multiple of the Hertzian radius for the normalization of the computational domain. These methods are often used to investigate the influence of the lubricant supply on friction etc., but the solutions obtained might be numerically starved. The present numerical calculation method utilizes an optimized normalization of the computational domain to ensure that the solutions obtained are not numerically starved. With this normalization method, the computational domain can be appropriately meshed, regardless of the variability in the inlet length due to changes in the operating conditions. This method can, therefore, be used to obtain accurate EHL film thickness and pressure data over a wide range of operating conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research has identified the novel lubrication scheme brought by boundary slip effect in lubrication. However, the implementation of an endurable slip coating on elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) is challenging. One plausible solution is to mount a slip surface coating onto a substrate with an interlayer, forming a multi-layer structure. This study presents a robust framework for analysing the effects of the thickness and strength of the coating and interlayer. A general algorithm for investigating the mechanics of boundary slip EHL contact that utilises a linear elasticity equation is developed. Besides the influence of boundary slip on the lubrication film, the effect on the mechanical response of the contacting bodies is emphasised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations were carried out to study the slip and traction properties of a traction fluid with effect of film thickness, under high-temperature and -pressure conditions. The thinnest film of about 14 Å presents a solid-like structure which shows a two-layer discrete distribution. The film of about 24 Å corresponds to the intermediate state between the solid-like and liquid phases. With the increasing film thickness, a continuous bulk structure confined by solid-like phases appears in the central region, leading to relatively loose interlayer structure. The velocity profile across the film was then analyzed to obtain the shear property. It indicates that the thinnest film shows a plug-slip shear, the relatively thick films show a shear localization, and the thickest film of about 86 Å shows a stick–slip phenomenon. The slip length increases and then reaches the maximum as the film thickness increases to 63 Å, which is related to the change of solid-like phase near the inner surface of slab. Finally, the traction coefficient illustrates the locally lowest value of 0.08 in the moderate film of 42 Å while the highest value is reached in the two-layer system. The inverse proportion relationship between slip length and traction coefficient is obtained. This study is helpful to understand the flow and traction characteristics and their relationship in elastohydrodynamic lubricant for the important use in new infinitely variable transmission systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL), the lubricant experiences pressures in excess of 500 MPa and strain rates larger than 10 5 s - 1 . The high pressures lead to a dramatic rise in the Newtonian viscosity and the high rates lead to large shear stresses and pronounced shear thinning. The extraction of accurate rheological properties using non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations (NEMD) has played a key role in improving our understanding of lubricant flow in EHL conditions. However, the high dimensionality of the output data generated by NEMD simulations often makes a deeper interrogation of the link between molecular-scale features and rheological properties challenging. In this paper, we explore the use of machine learning to analyze and visualize the high-dimensional output data generated in typical NEMD simulations. We show that dimension reduction of NEMD simulation data describing the shear flow of squalane enables a clear visualization of the transition from Newtonian to non-Newtonian shear thinning with increasing shear rate and provides a reliable assessment of the correlation between shear thinning and the evolution in molecular alignment. The end-to-end atom pairs dominate the largest variations in pair orientation tensor components for low-pressure systems (0.1, 100 MPa) and provide the clearest separation of the orientation tensors with rate. On the other hand, the side atom pairs dominate the largest variation in the tensor components for the high-pressure systems ( P ≥ 400 MPa) which exhibit an overall limited evolution in orientation tensors as a function of rate. Dimension reduction using all the six components of the orientation tensors of all 435 pairs associated with a squalane molecule shows that the decrease in viscosity with rate for low pressures is strongly correlated with changes in molecular alignment. However, for high pressures, shear thinning occurs at saturated orientational order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of polymers in power-transmitting machine elements, e.g., gears, is limited by moderate thermo-mechanical properties and the detrimental accumulation of contact heat, even with external lubrication. Hence, polymer rolling–sliding elements are often prone to thermo-mechanical overload or abrasive wear. Diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings are well known from steel applications for enhancing wear resistance and reducing friction. Since preliminary results indicate promising results for such coatings for polymers as well, their influence on the behavior of lubricated polymer contacts is investigated by numerical simulation. For polymer–steel contacts, the mechanical and thermophysical properties of coating and polymer are varied. The contact geometry is dominated by a local conformity, in which most of the deformation is related to the polymer. The DLC coatings affect film thickness and hydrodynamic pressure only little even for untypical high coating thicknesses. In contrast, the contact temperature decreases already for very thin coatings due to enhanced heat removal. Hence, DLC coatings can act as a thermal barrier protecting the polymer from detrimental heat and protecting the polymer from abrasive wear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates friction and film thickness in elastohydrodynamic contacts of machined, rough surfaces, where roughness is dominated by longitudinal ridges parallel to the rolling/sliding direction. A ball-on-disc tribometer was used to simultaneously measure friction and film thickness in rough contacts as well as with nominally smooth specimens for comparison. The studied rough surfaces were selected so that the influence of the root-mean-square roughness and roughness wavelength can be assessed. Friction and film measurements were taken over a range of slide-roll ratios and speeds and with two lubricating oils with different viscosities, hence covering a wide range of specific film thicknesses. The measurements with the nominally smooth specimens show that friction is strongly influenced by thermal effects at high SRRs and that the transition from mixed/boundary to full EHD lubrication occurs at lambda ratios greater than three. At low speeds, the rough specimens are found to generate higher friction than the smooth ones for all the roughness structures considered, and this is shown to be related to the thinner minimum film thickness. Comparison of friction in rough and smooth contacts shows that the total friction in rough contacts can be divided into two components: one that is equivalent to friction in smooth contacts under the same conditions and is dependent on the slide-roll ratio, and the other that is due to the presence of roughness and is independent of the slide-roll ratio under the conditions tested. Further analysis of the minimum film thickness on tops of roughness ridges indicates that even after the full lift-off, an effect of the roughness on friction persists and is most likely related to the local shear stress in the micro-EHD contacts on the top of roughness ridges. At even higher speeds, the difference in friction between the rough and smooth specimens vanishes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of the groove topography, especially their top width and their orientation upon the friction in elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) and mixed lubrication regimes was characterized by means of Stribeck curves. Friction levels with groove surfaces were linked to optical measurements of the film thickness distribution inside the contact and compared with data for a smooth surface. In EHL, results indicate no overall friction modification. Nonetheless in this regime, the local film thickness becomes, under a critical top width, lower than the smooth surface leading to a shift of the EHL/mixed regime transition. In mixed regime, the friction is much higher than the smooth surface and narrower tops cause more severe friction than wider one. If the orientation of the grooves does not modify significantly the friction, transverse grooves (perpendicular to the entrainment direction) enable the formation of local dimples in mixed regime, which locally increase the lubrication efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving non-corrosive and green ionic liquids is a big challenge for the tribologist. A kind of biomaterials-based protic ionic liquids (PILs) was synthesized in this paper. Rapeseed oil, group 1 mineral oil and one commercially available fully formulated gear oil were as used reference to study the property of the synthesized PILs. The copper strip standard corrosion test was employed to study the anti-corrosion property. The boundary lubrication and elastohydrodynamic lubrication performance of the lubricants was studied on an Optimol SRV-III oscillating friction and wear tester, and a WAM (model 11) ball-on-disk test rig, respectively. The lubricating mechanism of the synthesized PILs was also discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to determine the formation of an adsorption film at elastohydrodynamic lubricated (EHL) contacts and its effects on EHL film shape and friction. Experiments were conducted on an optical EHL test rig with surfaces of different surface energies. A new type of 'abnormal' EHL film shape characterized with three dimples in the inlet of the contact was obtained in pure ball sliding experiments with long-chain polybutene. The adsorption layer was inferred to be the main cause for the 'tri-dimple' phenomenon. The 'tri-dimple' formation was examined. Under a fixed speed, a single inlet dimple gradually broke into three dimples with increasing number of ball rotation, and it happened with slight increase in friction force. Three zones, namely a central and two lateral zones, of the contact were classified and characterized with different levels of influence on the adsorption layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lubrication behavior of starved elastohydrodynamic contacts at high speeds was investigated in this study. A new ball-on-disc test rig with the ability to measure traction force at high speeds up to 100 m/s and lubrication film thickness at speeds up to 42 m/s was built. The relative optical interference intensity technique was used to measure the film thickness. The experimental results show that the film thickness decreased rapidly and asymmetrically when the speed exceeded a critical speed under the starved lubrication condition. Starvation is governed by the amount of lubricant available both in the inlet region and on the side of the oil reservoir. The shape of the oil reservoir becomes asymmetric and the amount of oil gradually reduces against the speed at high speeds because of the centrifugal effects, under which the oil on the outer side of the oil reservoir will be thrown away and the oil on the inner side of the oil reservoir will be compressed. The balance of oil supply and oil loss due to centrifugal force determines the starvation behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solution of elastohydrodynamically lubricated contacts at high loads and/or low speeds can be described as a Hertzian pressure with inlet and outlet boundary layers: zones where significant pressure flow occurs. For the soft lubrication regime (elastic-isoviscous), a self-similar solution exists in the boundary layers satisfying localized equations. In this paper, the boundary layer behaviour in the elastic-piezoviscous regime is investigated. The lengthscale of the boundary layers and the scaling of pressure and film thickness are expressed in non-dimensional parameters. The boundary layer width scales as $$1/\sqrt{M}$$ (equivalent to $${\bar{\lambda }}^{3/8}$$ ), the maximum pressure difference relative to the Hertzian solution as $$1 / \root 3 \of {M}$$ (equivalent to $${\bar{\lambda }}^{1/4}$$ ) and the film thickness as $$1/\root 16 \of {M}$$ (equivalent to $${\bar{\lambda }}^{3/64}$$ ) with $$M$$ the Moes non-dimensional load and $${\bar{\lambda }}$$ a dimensionless speed parameter. The Moes dimensionless lubricant parameter $$L$$ was fixed. These scalings differ from the isoviscous-elastic (soft lubrication) regime. With increasing load (decreasing speed), the solution exhibits an increasing degree of rotational symmetry. The pressure varies less than 10 % over an angle less than 45 degrees from the lubricant entrainment direction. The results provide additional fundamental understanding of the nature of elastohydrodynamic lubrication and give physical rationale to the finding of roughness deformation depending on the 'inlet length'. The findings may contribute to more efficient numerical solutions and to improved semi-analytical prediction methods for engineering based on physically correct asymptotic behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper demonstrates a new route to control friction in the isoviscous elastic lubrication regime between compliant point contacts. For this aim, the superposition of non-homogeneous magnetic fields in ferrofluid lubricated contacts is proposed. Under appropriate conditions, a friction reduction is observed by simply displacing the magnetic field distribution in the flow direction towards the inlet of the contact. This friction reduction is associated with a lower Couette friction contribution as a result of the fact that surfaces become more separated under field. Experiments and simulations are in good qualitative agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is currently considerable debate concerning the most appropriate rheological model to describe the behaviour of lubricant films in rolling-sliding, elastohydrodynamic contacts. This is an important issue since an accurate model is required to predict friction in such contacts. This paper reviews the origins of this debate, which primarily concerns a divergence of views between researchers using high pressure, high shear rate viscometry and those concerned with the measurement and analysis of elastohydrodynamic friction; the former advocate a Carreau-based shear stress/strain rate model while the latter generally favour an Eyring-based one. The crucial importance of accounting for shear heating effects in analysing both viscometric and friction data is discussed. The main criticisms levied by advocates of a Carreau-based model against Eyring's model are discussed in some detail. Finally, the ability of both types of rheological model to fit elastohydrodynamic friction measurements for a quite simple, well-defined base fluid is tested, using previously measured pressure-viscosity behaviour for the fluid. Both models appear to fit the experimental data over a wide temperature range quite well, though fit of the Eyring model appears slightly closer than that of the Carreau-Yasuda model. Friction data from a wider range of well-defined fluid types are needed to identify categorically the most appropriate model to describe elastohydrodynamic friction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

That classical elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) is not a quantitative field can be illustrated by its failure to provide a consistent and rigorous definition of the viscosity-pressure coefficient. Indeed, if the pressure dependence of viscosity cannot be accurately described, then the viscosity-pressure coefficient cannot be defined. Classical EHL has employed fictional narratives to justify the pressure dependences that have been utilized. In this context, the purpose of this perspective article is to review specific and real needs from EHL and to show that data and models describing the viscosity-pressure dependence are already available and how they can properly be used. The final aim is to encourage researchers to change their philosophy of classical EHL to a quantitative approach, in which every hypothesis and every result, whether experimental or numerical, would be justified on the basis of acceptable physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of temperature, pressure and shear stress on the viscosity of simplified automotive lubricants—polymer-thickened base oil solutions—were investigated. Various polymers—with different molecular weights and conformations (comb, linear and star)—were used at low concentration (1.2 % w/w) in a hydrocracked mineral base oil: a poly(alkylmethacrylate), an olefin copolymer and a poly(isoprene-styrene hydrogenated). Their rheological behavior was studied and modeled with a Vogel-Tamman and Fulcher equation, a modified Williams-Landel-Ferry-Yasutomi relationship and a Carreau-Yasuda-like formula. Then, the Einstein’s law was used to rapidly and simply determine the hydrodynamic radii of polymers as a function of temperature and pressure. Calculations from Flory equations, intrinsic viscosities and direct measurements confirmed the relevance of this methodology. Finally, molecular considerations allowed a good understanding of the rheological response of polymer solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents for the first time through-thickness velocity profiles obtained in an EHL contact by photobleached imaging. The velocity profile was inferred by following the evolution of the shape of a photobleached plug formed through the thickness of the fluorescently doped lubricant, oligomer polybutene (PB), in the contact when shear was applied. The proposed methodology was validated by successfully obtaining the expected linear profile with PB experiencing Couette flow. The methodology was then applied to PB in an EHL contact. The variation of the profiles within the contact area was also investigated. The velocity profile of PB in an EHL contact severely deviates from the common linear assumption and exhibits inhomogeneous shear: three regions of varying shear rate have been observed. The phenomenon is shown to be neither due to thermal nor diffusion effects. PB also shows significant slip at the glass-liquid interface. The amount of slip varies with position in the contact. Possible causes, such as pressure-induced viscosity enhancement, as well as the significance of the findings and the benefits of the technique are discussed. The linear velocity profile in an EHL contact is usually assumed for both the film thickness and friction predictions. The profile has, however, never been measured experimentally until now. This work enables the validation of conventional assumptions and the study of flow heterogeneity of lubricants in a contact. This facilitates an improved understanding of the rheology of confined lubricant and hence more accurate predictions of tribological properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on the behaviour of rolling bearings show that the position as well as the loading of the rolling element at the flange roller-end contact depends on the momentum created on the roller track caused by local friction variability. This situation is characterized by a skew angle that varies within a limited range in the application influenced also by the clearance in the cage pockets. This paper provides some elements which contribute to increase the understanding of the physical phenomena occurring in lubricated spinning contacts under skew. An experimental investigation is carried out using a unique in-house test rig called Tribogyr, dedicated to large size-contacts with spinning and skewing kinematics. Alongside the experiments, a numerical analysis is conducted, based on a finite element approach, aiming to take into account the multiphysics aspect of this thermo-elastohydrodynamic problem. The model and the experiments show a good agreement. The skew effects on film thickness of spinning flange/roller-end contacts are characterized by a global decrease of central film thickness, mainly due to high shear of the lubricant, involving thermal thinning. The shallow dimple captured by the in situ measurements of film thickness can be explained as a consequence of the viscosity wedge due to different thermal conductivities between glass and steel. The dual experimental-theoretical approach was a useful method that help to study separate phenomena which are naturally coupled each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the rheologic properties, elastohydrodynamic film, and friction coefficients of several siloxane-based lubricants to assess their shear stability and their potential for energy efficient lubrication. Several siloxane-based polymers with alkyl, aryl, and alkyl-aryl branches were synthesized in order to examine the relationship between their molecular structures and tribological performance. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography were used to characterize the molecular structures and masses, respectively. Density, viscosity, elastohydrodynamic film thickness, and friction measurements were measured from 303 to 398 K. Film thickness and friction measurements were made at loads and speeds that cover the boundary, mixed, and full film lubrication regimes. These results illustrate that the shear characteristics of siloxane lubricants vary significantly with polymer length as well as branch structure and content. The findings provide quantitative insight into the features of siloxane molecular structure conducive to optimum film formation with minimum wear and elastohydrodynamic friction to enhance energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an experimental study of the effect of boundary slip on the lubricating film shape and friction of an elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) contact under isothermal conditions. Ball and disc pure sliding experiments were carried out with a high viscosity polybutene oil using a conventional optical EHL test rig. The film shape and friction were measured simultaneously. The results obtained from two discs with different coatings were compared. One disc was coated only with Cr, the partially reflective layer, and the other had an extra layer of SiO coating on top. When running under mild conditions of low load and speed, there was no evidence of any boundary slip effect. However, when the load increased, the Cr-coated disc produced lower film thickness and friction than the SiO-coated disc. The Cr-coated surface had a larger contact angle, i.e., smaller surface energy, than the SiO surface, which reflects the weak bonding between the molecules of the surface and the lubricant. The study concludes that surfaces with low surface energy promote boundary slip at the EHL contact, leading to a reduction in friction and film thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High hardness, high elastic modulus, low friction characteristics, high wear and corrosion resistance, chemical inertness, and thermal stability are factors that make diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings the subject of many studies. For the same reasons they also seem suitable for use in, amongst others, machine components and cutting tools. While most studies in the literature focus on the influence of coatings on wear and friction in boundary lubrication and pure sliding contacts, few studies can be found concerning rolling and sliding elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) friction, especially in the mixed and full film regime. In this article tests are carried out in a Wedeven Associates Machine tribotester where an uncoated ball and disc pair is compared to the case of coated ball against uncoated disc, coated disc against uncoated ball, and coated disc against coated ball. The tests are conducted at two different temperatures and over a broad range of slide-to-roll ratios and entrainment speeds. The results are presented as friction maps as introduced in previous work (Björling et al. in J Eng Tribol 225(7):671, ). Furthermore a numerical simulation model is developed to investigate if there is a possibility that the hard, thin DLC coating is affecting the friction coefficient in an EHL contact due to thermal effects caused by the different thermal properties of the coating compared to the substrate. The experimental results show a reduction in friction coefficient in the full film regime when DLC-coated surfaces are used. The biggest reduction is found when both surfaces are coated, followed by the case when either ball or disc is coated. The thermal simulation model shows a substantial increase of the lubricant film temperature compared to uncoated surfaces when both surfaces are coated with DLC. The reduction in friction coefficient when coating either only the ball or the disc are almost the same, lower than when coating both the surfaces but still higher than the uncoated case. The findings above indicate that it is reasonable to conclude that thermal effects are a likely cause for the decrease in coefficient of friction when operating under full film conditions, and in the mixed lubrication regime when DLC-coated surfaces are used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical measurement techniques have been successfully used for elastohydrodynamic (EHD) lubricant films studies for several decades and have significantly helped to understand the lubrication mechanisms within highly loaded machine contacts. Nevertheless, there are still many phenomena waiting for the explanation and new experimental approaches and measurements techniques are developed. Recent studies have provided promising results as to the application of spectroscopic reflectometry to the study of EHD films. Nevertheless, some simplifications were introduced. The main aim of this study was to develop a physically correct approach that could provide the additional information about the properties of lubricant film within highly loaded contacts. The principal part of this article was devoted to the effort to develop and verify the optical design suitable for such applications. This verification was carried out within lubricated contact formed between a steel barrel and sapphire disc without any semi-reflective layer. This simplified optical arrangement has enabled to obtain the correct lubricant film data and verify the applicability of the spectroscopic reflectometry for EHD lubrication films study. It represents the first step in this application of spectroscopic reflectometry and further research in the field of the behavior of thin solid films under high contact pressures is necessary to enable thin film measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A well-recognized phenomenon of typical traction tests of elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) contacts is finite maximum traction at increasing speeds, which led to the postulation that the limiting shear stress of liquid lubricants, a high-pressure rheological property, existed. If slippage occurs at the oil-solid boundary, the limiting traction measured is not necessarily an intrinsic property of the lubricant but rather a function of interfacial properties between the bounding solid surface and the lubricant. A recent report presented experimental evidence of boundary slippage at EHL contacts using a simple methodology based on differences in the speed of oil entrapment and the apparent entrainment. The reported experiments were carried out under pure sliding conditions. The phenomenon may also be explained by internal slippage in the bulk fluid film because of the limiting shear stress of the lubricant. To clarify this, similar experiments were repeated under zero entrainment velocity (ZEV) conditions. Evidence of the highly pressurized lubricant at the center of the oil entrapment sliding against the solid bounding surface was obtained. The purpose of this article is to discuss whether the slippage is attributed to the limiting shear stress of the oil or the critical shear stress of the oil/solid interfaces, and how to differentiate the magnitudes of the critical shear stress of the two bounding surfaces in a conventional optical EHL test rig. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to propose an original approach in modelling elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL), combining a classical model derived from continuum mechanics and a nanoscale investigation carried out by Molecular Dynamics simulations. In particular, nanoscale slip is numerically quantified and a semi-analytical model for surface slip variation with pressure, film thickness and sliding velocity is presented. A composite model involving both continuum mechanics and nanoscale effects allows for a better understanding of dimple formation and offers a new basis towards a physically based friction prediction. This tentative represents a new direction towards a more realistic modelling of lubricated contacts with ultra thin film for the present industrial needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a study on the movement of an oil entrapment (or impact dimple) in a pure rolling elastohydrodynamic lubricated (EHL) contact. The oil entrapment was formed by impacting a steel ball against a lubricated glass disc. The contact was then activated under pure rolling conditions, and the movement of the entrapped oil was visualized by optical interferometry. It was found that during the movement of the dimple within the EHL contact, there exists a critical value for the displacement of dimple core. For the displacement of the dimple core less than the critical value, the dimple moves at the entrainment velocity and the film thickness of dimple core remains almost constant. For displacement beyond the critical value, the dimple slows down and its depth decreases rapidly. The effects of influential factors such as speed, initial dimple depth, load, and initial gap size were theoretically and experimentally investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

new test rig with an ability to obtain clear interference images at high pressure contacts has been developed. The technique of relative optical interference intensity has been used to obtain film thickness profiles and then lubrication properties of some base oils including six kinds of polyalphaolefin and four kinds of silicone oil have been studied at different pressures ranging from 1 to 3 GPa. The results show that viscosities of these lubricants have notable effect on slopes of film thickness curves (speed versus film thickness in log–log form), and the observed phenomenon is attributed to fluidity and molecular structure. A comparison of experimental central film thicknesses with computational work shows that at high loads the relationship between load and film thickness usually go against prediction given by Hamrock and Dowson. In addition, when more pressure is applied, the profiles of film thickness become more and more flat while rolling speed do little to change the shape of profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the friction and wear behavior of copper (Cu) samples at different lubrication regions. It analyzed the roughness parameters, structure and microhardness at the transition. The Stribeck curve was used to analyze elasto-hydrodynamic (EHL), mixed lubrication (ML), and boundary lubrication (BL) regions. The study revealed that two types of ML regions have been observed. These are the stable steady friction of mixed EHL and the region of unstable friction and wear.

The article offers an experimental and analytical study on the effect of load on elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) film thickness. In the quantitative approach to EHL, accurate and measurable rheological properties of the liquid are used to calculate the behavior of the lubricated concentrated contact. Several advantages of using the quantitative approach to EHL are cited. One of which is understanding differences in performance among liquids of different chemical structure.

The classical study of elastohydrodynamic lubrication has not employed a consistent definition of the pressure-viscosity coefficient (PVC) or alpha of the liquid. This has likely been the result of the inaccurate film thickness formulas that require a value of alpha and of inaccurate film thickness measurements. Practitioners have found it possible to reconcile formula with measurement, when viscosity has been measured in a viscometer, by choosing a definition of alpha from the extensive menu of definitions that have been used. The problem for tribology is that the term, PVC, has become largely meaningless because there is no generally accepted definition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of nanoscale ripple texture on the film thickness and friction in elastohydrodynamically lubricated (EHL) contacts were investigated through ball-on-disc experiments and numerical simulations of line contacts. The texturing was produced by femtosecond LASER irradiations and the ripple texture was in the form of sinusoidal waviness with nanoscale amplitudes and wavelengths. The experimental and numerical results indicate that the orientation of the ripples with respect to the entrainment direction has little to no effect on their capability to form a lubricating film. In the EHL regime, the ripples were found to reduce the central and minimum film thickness by half of their peak-to-peak amplitude as compared to a smooth contact. The transition from EHL to mixed lubrication regime was attributed to micro-EHL effects although the subsequent friction increase was found to be largely due to the onset of asperity contacts. In the mixed lubrication regime, the coefficient of friction was mainly determined by surface roughness and its value increased with an increase in the ripple amplitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article comments on the research paper "Evidence of Plug Flow in Rolling?Sliding Elastohydrodynamic Contact," by P. Šperka and others, published in a previous issue of this journal. Topics include the importance of plug flow mechanism in explaining the traction in elasto-hydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) contacts, the effect of the presence of nanoparticles in elasto-hydrodynamic lubrication, and the use of particles in a controlled experiment to calculate the velocity.

A correction to the article "Classical EHL Versus Quantitative EHL: A Perspective Part I-Real Viscosity-Pressure Dependence and the Viscosity-Pressure Coefficient for Predicting Film Thickness" by Philippe Vergne and colleagues, published in the March 2014 issue of the journal is presented.