Transient squeezing flow of the lubricant impregnated in the porous material

Abstract

Porous materials are widely used in friction pairs. The transient squeezing flow of the lubricant significantly affects the lubrication quality. The study found that the lubricant penetrates into the porous matrix in the contact area and exudes upward to the entrance of the contact area. The maximum stress occurs at the subsurface of the contact zone, and the maximum pressure occurs at the contact centre. In the early loading stage, the lubricant exudates, resulting in a higher liquid-phase load. With the prolongation of the time, the average stress decreases and then increases gradually, whilst the average pressure has the opposite change. In the late loading stage, the load is completely borne by the solid phase. Increasing the load will increases the seepage velocity of the lubricant, which enhance the pumping effect of the friction interface. The findings can help for better understanding of the self-lubrication mechanism of the porous materials.