Theoretical analysis and experimental study on the influence of electric double layer on thin film lubrication

A new mathematical model for thin film lubrication is established by taking into account the effect of an electric double layer. In the present paper, experiments are carried out on a self-made tester. With a composite block and a rotating disk, influence of electric double layer on thin film lubrication is studied. Two different methods are used to reconstruct the field of electric double layer so as to change its effect. One is to change the ionic concentration of lubricants by adding additives, and the other is to apply an external electric field on friction pairs. According theoretical analysis, both the methods will apparently change the electro-viscosity of the lubricant film so as to change the lubrication performances. After theoretical calculation of electro-viscosity is amended according to the experimental results, the equations of electro-viscosity are presented. The results show that the equivalent viscosity of fluid induced by the effect of electric double layer apparently increases with the decrease of thickness of the film while the lubrication film is thin enough. The effect of electro-viscosity is weakened as the thickness of the film increases. Moreover, the effect of electro-viscosity increases with the increase of external electric field at first. When the voltage reaches a certain value, the electro-viscosity begins to decrease.