Numerical and Experimental Study of a Sector-Shaped Surface Texture in Friction Reduction

Reducing friction using lubricant is of great significance to reducing energy consumption and extending the life of machinery. Surface texturing is effective to enhance the lubrication condition, and it is crucial to properly design the texture’s morphology. In this study, a sector-shaped surface texture is designed and demonstrated using both numerical and experimental methods. A computational fluid dynamic method based on Navier–Stokes equations and a two-phase cavitation model is performed to evaluate the effect of the texture in the hydrodynamic lift and to optimize the geometrical parameters of the texture. The mechanism associated with the additional hydrodynamic pressure generation is also revealed according to the results of the simulation. Then, pin-on-disk rotary friction experiments are performed on steel disks textured by a femtosecond laser to verify the lubricant effect of the proposed texture. The results of the experiment suggest that the sector-shaped textures reduce friction more than conventional circle-shaped textures, which coincides well with the results of the simulation.