Evaluation of sliding friction and contact mechanics of elastomers based on dynamic-mechanical analysis

The paper presents a combined experimental and theoretical approach to the understanding of hysteresis and adhesion contributions to rubber friction on dry and lubricated rough surfaces. Based on a proper analysis of the temperature- and frequency-dependent behaviors of nonlinear viscoelastic materials such as filler reinforced elastomer materials, master curves for the viscoelastic moduli are constructed. It is shown that the classical williams–Landel–Ferry equation cannot be applied in its simple form, but needs the introduction of an energy term describing the temperature dependency of glassy polymer bridges, which transmit the forces within flocculated filler clusters. The activation energy for carbon black and silica-filled elastomers is compared based on two different evaluation methods. The obtained dynamic data are shown to be related to a different friction behavior of elastomers regarding the two filler systems. Theoretical predictions of the stationary frictional behavior of the systems are in fair agreement with the experimental friction data at low sliding velocities. It is found that the formulated adhesion plays a dominant role on rough dry surfaces within this range of velocities.