Achievement of Ultra-Low Friction Through Fundamental Understanding

这项研究的目的是对摩擦的本质有一个基本的了解，并利用这一知识在无润滑条件下产生最小摩擦的表面。摩擦力是由两个表面相对运动时发生的一系列现象引起的，包括粘着、表面层反复的塑性和弹性变形、由于捕获磨损颗粒而产生的机械阻力等。在本研究中，将确定具有各种类型原子间键的材料仅粘着的贡献。将注意消除其他潜在的促成现象。然后，测量的摩擦力将是给定材料组合可获得的最小摩擦力。通过将测量的力数据与表面结合的性质和材料的表面变形进行关联，应该可以制定材料的选择标准和最小摩擦系统的表面粗糙度设计标准。

The goal of this study is to develop a fundamental understanding of the nature of friction and to use this knowledge to generate surfaces of minimum friction under unlubricated conditions. Friction forces are due to a number of phenomena which occur when two surfaces move relative to one another, including adhesion, repeated plastic and elastic deformation of the surface layers, mechanical resistance due to trapped wear particles, etc. In this study the contribution of adhesion alone will be determined for materials with various types of interatomic bonds. Care will be taken to eliminate other potential contributing phenomena. The measured friction force will then be the minimum obtainable for a given material combination. By correlating the measured force data with the nature of the surfaces bonds and with surface deformation of the materials it should be possible to develop selection criteria for materials and design criteria for surface roughness for minimum friction systems.