Relation between friction and adhesion

Abstract Simultaneous measurements have been, made of the friction and adhesion of steel sliding on indium in air. The results show that both the normal and tangential stresses play a part in the deformation of the metallic junctions formed at the interface. When the surfaces are first placed in contact, a minute tangential force is required to initiate relative motion between the slider and the indium surface, since the junctions are already plastic under the applied load. As relative motion proceeds, the region of contact grows with a corresponding increase in the tangential force and the adhesive force. An upper steady state is reached where the tangential force increases more rapidly than the rate of growth of the region of contact and sliding on a macroscopic scale occurs. The detailed behaviour of the junctions during the early stages of the sliding process may be expressed quantitatively in terms of von Mises's criterion for plastic deformation under combined normal and tangential stresses, and there is good agreement between the theoretical relation and the experimental observations. The results emphasize the reality of the cold welding process which occurs at the points of intimate contact when metal surfaces are placed together. The metallic junctions so formed are responsible both for the friction and the adhesion observed. Lubricant films diminish the amount of metallic contact and so lead to a reduction in the friction and adhesion.