Molecular dynamics simulations of elastohydrodynamic lubrication oil film

This paper reviews recent research in molecular dynamics studies of the traction properties of hydrocarbon fluids under elastohydrodynamic lubrication, focusing on the technical problems that arise on making predictions of the traction properties of an oil film with a submicron thickness at the actual sliding contacts of the machine elements by at a nanoscale molecular simulation. The effect of the oil film thickness and shear rate are examined including the result of a submicron thickness simulation of the oil film using a tera-flops computer. The mechanism of the phase transition of the fluids under high pressure, the boundary slip, and the momentum transfer related to the molecular structure of the fluids are also presented. Copyright (c) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.