A low-friction high-load thrust bearing and the human hip joint

A hydrostatic thrust bearing operating at a pressure of 130 MPa and with a coefficient of friction rising to 0.004 in 6 days is described. It consists of interleaved oil-coated Mylar and brass sheets, each 0.1 mm thick. At this pressure, the Mylar deforms to reveal a pool of lubricant bounded by contacting layers at its edges where the pressure tapers off to zero. Thus, most of the load is borne by the oil so its effective Coulomb (slip-stick) friction is very low. Expressions for the effective coefficient of friction, the area of the solid-to-solid contact and the torque needed to rotate the bearing are given in terms of its geometry, the viscosity of the lubricant and elapsed time. The mechanism of a bearing with similar geometry and properties, the human hip joint, is compared with this plastic bearing. While their low friction properties arise from the same basic cause, the different natures of their soft deformable materials lead to the hip joint having a much wider range of action. This work is an example of new engineering leading to a fresh insight into an action of Nature, which in turn suggests an improvement in engineering.