Friction characteristics of microtextured surfaces under hydrodynamic lubrication

Surface microtexturing has shown significant promise over the past decade as one of the surface engineering methods to modify friction performance. We tackle two important problems associated with surface texturing – developing low cost scalable manufacturing technique and engineering design rules for fluid power applications. We report experimental and numerical investigation of the friction characteristics of microtextured surfaces. The textures are of size 28-257 um on stainless steel surfaces, fabricated using micro-casting. Friction characteristics of these surfaces were tested under submerged condition using a pin-on-disk configuration. Numerical simulations solved the Navier-Stokes equations to predict the texture-induced lift. During hydrodynamic lubricated sliding, the textured surfaces exhibit friction as much as 80% lower than the untextured surfaces. We study the effect of operating conditions on the friction performance of the surfaces for different textures. The trends obtained in the experiments match well with the simulations, and indicate design rules for the implementation of this technology.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Mechanical Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2012

Author dc:creator

• Ramesh, Ashwin

Contributors dc:contributor

• King, William P.

• Surface engineering
• microtexturing
• hydrodynamic lubrication
• texture
• Navier-Stokes

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2012 Ashwin Ramesh

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/34495

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/34495