A continuous viscosity model for thin film lubrication

The thickness of adsorbed molecular layers is the most critical factor in studying thin film lubrication, and is a key feature that distinguishes thin from thick film lubrication analysis. A method is presented that enables the adsorbed layer thickness to be calculated. This is based on adsorption theory and expressed in terms of molecular interaction energies. A continuous cross-gap viscosity model incorporating the layer thickness is introduced and used to calculate the load capacity and frictional characteristics of a simple bearing operating in the thin film regime.