液体超薄膜中の分子層状化

―潤滑問題からのアプローチ―

抄録

Liquid molecules take on a layered structure in the very vicinity of solid surface and effects of this structure on the tribological characteristics cannot be neglected when lubricant film thickness between solid surfaces is less than several times of the molecular diameter. The layered structure of liquid molecules is due to the non-uniform potential energy distribution of solid molecules, symmetric shape of molecules and flatness of the solid surface. The molecular layering increases the strength of the film due to the solid-like, ordered structure of liquid molecules and increases the liquid film thickness. In addition the layering exerts the force (structural force or solvation force) on the solid surfaces. Although this force is small, namely comparable with the van der Waals force, the surfaces deform elastically and the amount of the deformation is of the order of the film thickness. This work offers the observation of the layering effect in the very thin film lubricated contact and shows the EHD calculation in which the solvation force is involved.