Infrared emission spectra from operating elastohydrodynamic sliding contacts

Infrared emission spectra from an operating EHD sliding contact were obtained through a diamond window for an aromatic polymer solute present in equal concentration in four different fluids. Three different temperature ranges, three different loads, and three different speeds for every load were examined. Very sensitive Fourier spectrophotometric (Interferometric) techniques were employed. Band Intensities and band intensity ratios found to depend both on the operating parameters and on the fluid. Fluid film and metal surface temperatures were calculated from the spectra and their dependence on the mechanical parameters plotted. The difference between these temperatures could be plotted against shear rate on one curve for all fluids. However, at the same shear rate the difference between bulk fluid temperature and diamond window temperature was much higher for one of the fluids, a traction fluid, than for the others.