Tribology Online (Jan 2011)
Mechanochemical Friction of Third-Body as an Exergetic Collision
Abstract
Approximation of a third body proposes that a tribo-contact is conformed by two first bodies (that is to say; elements of a machine), and by an interface -or third body- of different composition, where velocity between the first two bodies accommodates tribo-chemically. In other words, the third body interface is a mecanochemical concept which has the ability to transmit mechanical power in speed. Correspondingly, thermodynamical activity of this third body friction, is of irreversible non-equilibrium, being more coherent to establish an exergetic analysis in order to conclude to a holistic and more advanced formulation for the so badly named Friction “Coefficient”. Concepts of Irreversible Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics allow to establish a new formulation for third-body boundary friction. Microscopic analysis of tribo-fluctuations is applied to a generic contact to clarify the bond between friction and dissipation. The resulting mechanochemical formula for the 3rd-body’s boundary friction, falls in the scope of the Physics of the CHAOS and the phenomena of auto-organization of surfaces.
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