THE FRICTION COEFFICIENT AND ITS RELATION TO THE CONTACT FATIGUE CHARACTERISTICS OF MATERIALS

The process of friction has been treated within the framework of an ergodynamic concept of deformable bodies. Equations of friction energy balance are derived and a structure-energy interpretation of the friction process is proposed. The friction coefficient is shown to be physically meaningful in Amonton's sense. An energy interpretation of experimental friction curves is given. The friction parameter ranges within the domain of compatibility (optimality) are computed for tribosystems. The friction coefficient is shown to be a characteristic of the fatigue, wear resistance, and order/disorder parameter of a tribosystem. An equation of state of a tribosystem and universal friction constants are proposed. A quantum model for surface damping is considered. Entropy balance equations and a constancy condition for the critical entropy in tribosystems are derived. Theoretical grounds are given to the correlation between the problems of catastrophes and tribophatics.