The Joule-Thomson effect and the non-equilibrium thermodynamics of sliding nano-contact

Abstract

Dynamical systems, having the space-time-varying behavior, takes place in the range of processes. Especially interesting are those which affect the structure and properties complex materials during its formation because of thermal communication between the different parts of the system. One of the most important features of the study is the temperature behavior in the contact area under sliding interaction. This behavior results from the large contribution of the heat capacity to the entropy. We investigate the influence of the JouleThomson effect on the behavior and thermal characteristics of contact area formed by debris and lubricant between the sliding surfaces when they are brought into contact with one another in commutator-and-brush assembly as an example. The model reflecting the influence of the change in the third body temperature on the material properties, geometry of the debris and the surrounding environment is proposed. The result shows the strong correlations between JouleThomson effect and mechanical fluctuations of the wear particles that are responsible for the size of the contact area.