Vapor-Phase Lubrication in Combined Rolling and Sliding Contacts: Modeling and Experimentation

The in situ vapor-phase lubrication of M50 steel, in combined rolling and sliding contacts at 540°C using nitrogen atmospheres containing acetylene, is achieved. Acetylene partial pressures of 0.05 atmospheres are capable of providing continuous lubrication to combined rolling and sliding contacts through pyrolytic carbon deposition. In these tests, friction coefficients as low as μ=0.01 are found for contacts at 2.0 m/s rolling speed, 10 cm/s sliding speed, 100 N load (1.3 GPa Hertzian contact pressure), and ambient temperature of 540°C, with even lower values observed at more modest sliding speeds. One example of a model for vapor phase lubrication of combined rolling and sliding contacts is developed which predicts the lubricant steady-state fractional coverage of the contact surfaces, and from this makes friction coefficient predictions using a linear rule-of-mixture. Friction coefficient responses to step changes in acetylene partial pressure, sliding speed, and disk wear-track diameter are measured. Increased partial pressure of acetylene and increased area available for deposition are observed to be beneficial, while increased sliding speed is detrimental to lubrication performance. Shapes and trends of steady-state friction coefficient versus acetylene partial pressure, sliding speed, and disk wear-track diameter are described and curve-fit by the model. In combined rolling and sliding this example model predicts large regions of operating conditions over which friction coefficient is independent of rolling speed, as well as regions of independence of vapor partial pressure. In the special case of pure sliding, a region of friction coefficient independence of a ratio of partial pressure to sliding speed and another region of independence of a ratio of partial pressure to the product of sliding speed and normal load are predicted.