A Theory for the Lubrication of Layered Liquid Crystals

Abstract

Layered liquid crystals hold promise as advanced lubricants. These materials have been exhaustively studied from a fundamental continuum mechanics perspective. Recent studies from a lubrication perspective have involved measurements of behavior in rheological instruments and in elastohydrodynamic test rigs. The present study is an effort to adapt the basic theory to the lubrication geometry. A permeation parameter is seen to determine the nature of flow process and the layer structure. Problems are solved for limiting cases when this parameter is small or large. In the former case a modified Reynolds equation can be obtained. The liquid crystal lubricant may enhance the load carry significantly relative to an equivalent viscous liquid.