Periodic intermittent regime of a boundary flow

Melting of an ultrathin lubricant film during friction between two atomically smooth surfaces is investigated using the Lorentz model for approximating the viscoelastic medium. Second-order differential equations describing damped harmonic oscillations are derived for three boundary relations between the shear stresses, strain, and temperature relaxation times. In all cases, phase portraits and time dependences of stresses are constructed. It is found that under the action of a random force (additive uncorrelated noise), an undamped oscillation mode corresponding to a periodic intermittent regime sets in, which conforms to a periodic stick-slip regime of friction that is mainly responsible for fracture of rubbing parts. The conditions in which the periodic intermittent regime is manifested most clearly are determined, as well as parameters for which this regime does not set in the entire range of the friction surface temperature.