Possibility of elasto-hydrostatic evolved-gas bearing as one of the mechanisms of superlubricity

Abstract

In this article, firstly the experiments previously reported have been reviewed. That is, in the experiments conducted earlier it was seen that the friction coefficient reduced to the friction-tester noise-level of 0.0001, and only a small amount of sliding marks was seen on the tribofilm by scanning electron microscopic observation even though the maximum Hertzian contact pressure was 2.6 GPa. Based on these measurements, the possibility of elasto-hydrostatic gas bearing as the mechanism of super-low friction coefficient, where gas is not supplied from outside of the contact area but evolved from the contact surface, is investigated in the present report. Assuming the evolution of hydrocarbon gas mixture by ZrO₂ catalytic reaction, which is represented by C₂H₄ in this report, the hydrostatic pressure distribution at the contact area and the evolved gas amount required for supporting a heavy applied load of 60 N are calculated.