Modelling of Static and Dynamic Elastomer Friction in Dry Conditions

Understanding the tribological behavior of elastomers in dry conditions is essential for sealing applications, as dry contact may occur even in lubricated conditions due to local dewetting. In recent decades, Persson and co-authors have developed a comprehensive theory for rubber contact mechanics and dry friction. In this work, their model is implemented and extended, particularly by including static friction based on the bond population model by Juvekar and coworkers. Validation experiments are performed using a tribometer over a wide range of materials, temperatures and speeds. It is shown that the friction model presented in this work can predict the static and dynamic dry friction of various commercial rubber materials with different base polymers (FKM, EPDM and NBR) with an average accuracy of 10%. The model is then used to study the relevance of different elastomer friction contributions under various operating conditions and for different roughness of the counter surface. The present model will help in the development of novel optimized sealing solutions and provide a foundation for future modeling of lubricated elastomer friction.