Influence of the heat transfer field on anomalous lubricant film formation in elastohydrodynamic lubrication conditions

The influence of the heat transfer field on anomalous film formation under elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) conditions was studied. Liquid lubricant film shapes between a transparent disc and steel ball friction pair were investigated by white light optical interferometry. The fatty alcohol 1-dodecanol was used as the representative lubricant to develop anomalous film shapes. A sapphire disc and glass disc, which have different thermal conductivities, were used as the transparent bounding surface. Experiments were performed wherein the applied load, sliding conditions and ambient temperature were varied. The temperature of the lubricant film was estimated by a simple model with the measured traction coefficient. The estimated temperature and maximum Hertzian pressure were compared with the phase diagram of 1-dodecanol obtained using a diamond anvil cell to investigate the phase state of the lubricant film. It was found that the anomalous film shape was stably formed in the solid-state regime of the phase diagram whereas the film exhibited unique characteristics such as the collapse behaviour in high sliding conditions and liquid-like behaviour of the traction with a remaining thickened film part in the liquid state regime.