An in situ study of lubricant layer morphology

Abstract

For the ordered phases of the mesomorphous lubricant layer to be identified, a quantitative method based on the models of epitropic liquid crystal layers for an infinitely high and finite constant viscosity has been developed. A polarizing tribometer was used for the experimental verification of the theoretical results. The experimental approach is based on the measurement of plane polarized laser light transmitted through the lubricating layer under the steady state shear flow conditions.

On Prediction of Tribotechnical Characteristics of Lubricants Using Polarization Tribometry Method

“…(1) With these assumptions as shown in [11], the light transmission intensity of the lubrication layer I is described by the following formula:…”

“…It is worth noting that the CL model can be applied in the cases of small normal and shearing tensions and adsorptionally active surfaces able to form narrow solid boundary lubrication layers strongly connected to the surface, which are mainly presented by chemically adsorbed structures. These arguments have led us to consider one more model [11], where we assumed a constant finite value of boundary layer viscosity.…”