Influence of load and elastic properties on the rolling and sliding friction of lubricated compliant contacts

Lubricated “soft” contacts, where one or both contacting solids have a low elastic modulus, are present in many practical engineering and biological applications including windscreen wipers, wet tyres, elastomeric seals, contact lenses and the tongue/palate system. In such contacts, the prevailing l...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Tribology international 2010-01, Vol.43 (1-2), p.55-63
Main Authors: Myant, C., Spikes, H.A., Stokes, J.R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Contact lenses
Elastic constants
Elastomer
Elastomers
Exact sciences and technology
Friction
Friction, wear, lubrication
Industrial polymers. Preparations
Isoviscous-elastic
Lubrication
Machine components
Mechanical analysis
Mechanical engineering. Machine design
Polymer industry, paints, wood
Rolling friction
Seals and gaskets
Sliding friction
Soft contacts
Technology of polymers
Tribology
Viscoelasticity
Windscreens
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Summary:Lubricated “soft” contacts, where one or both contacting solids have a low elastic modulus, are present in many practical engineering and biological applications including windscreen wipers, wet tyres, elastomeric seals, contact lenses and the tongue/palate system. In such contacts, the prevailing lubrication mode is “isoviscous EHL” (elastohydrodynamic lubrication). Unlike in steel–steel contacts, rolling friction can be considerable and this originates in part from the viscoelastic properties of the compliant surfaces. In this paper the influence on friction of both applied load and the elastic properties of the solids is studied using a mini traction machine. In this machine, the rolling and sliding friction can be separately determined. The viscoelastic properties of the polymers employed are measured using a dynamic mechanical analysis apparatus. The measured friction is compared to theoretical models for soft EHL and the viscoelastic energy losses arising from the contact deformation. Consideration of the frequency dependence of the substrate viscoelasticity enables reasonably accurate predictions of the rolling friction coefficient, especially within the mixed and boundary lubrication regimes.
ISSN:0301-679X
1879-2464
DOI:10.1016/j.triboint.2009.04.034