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Environmental effects on the sliding friction behaviour of diamond on glass

University of British Columbia

Certain surface-active media can considerably influence the flow and fracture properties of the .solids they wet. The effects of various lubricating media on the sliding friction behaviour of diamond on soda-lime glass were studied in the present research. An experimental apparatus was constructed to slide a hemispherical diamond linearly and at constant speed across the surface of a Corning type 2947 soda-lime glass microslide and to measure the resultant friction force. Tests were conducted in a variety of liquid and gaseous media at sliding speeds ranging from 0.001 cm/sec to 0.4 cm/sec. As a base for comparison initial tests were conducted in a high vacuum — 8 at 4 x 10 ⁻⁸. The results showed that all the media enhanced material displacement from that observed in high vacuum. In addition, the friction force was observed to rise with displaced material. A simple theory was used to predict with reasonable agreement the results obtained in in vacuum and air only. The greatest increase in displaced material was observed in heptyl alcohol. Scanning electron micrographs of the friction tracks suggest that heptyl; alcohol softened the surface of the glass. This is in agreement with previous work.

Text

2010-02-19

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/20541

Mechanical Engineering

University of British Columbia

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