Friction on a microstructured elastomer surface

Katrin Brörmann, Itay Barel, Michael Urbakh, Roland Bennewitz*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

54 Scopus citations

Abstract

The friction of microstructured polydimethylsiloxane samples against a glass surface is studied through force measurements and simultaneous optical microscopy. Both average friction forces and the amplitude of stick-slip oscillations are greatly reduced by the structuring. Optical microscopy reveals waves propagating through the contact in connection which stick-slip events. The experimental observations are interpreted with the help of simulations of a spring-block model for which parameters are directly derived from the experiment. Stress gradients across the contact area are found to play an important role for the frictional behavior.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3-15
Number of pages13
JournalTribology Letters
Volume50
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2013

Funding

FundersFunder number
DFG-DIPGA 309/10, KL 1948/1-1
German-Israeli Project Cooperation Program
European Science Foundation
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

    Keywords

    • Elastomers
    • Optical microscopy
    • Static friction
    • Stick-slip
    • Stress analysis
    • Unlubricated friction

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