A Static Friction Model for Unlubricated Contact of Random Rough Surfaces at Micro/Nano Scale

A novel static friction model for the unlubricated contact of random rough surfaces at micro/nano scale is presented. This model is based on the energy dissipation mechanism that states that changes in the potential of the surfaces in contact lead to friction. Furthermore, it employs the statistical theory of two nominally flat rough surfaces in contact, which assumes that the contact between the equivalent rough peaks and the rigid flat plane satisfies the condition of interfacial friction. Additionally, it proposes a statistical coefficient of positional correlation that represents the contact situation between the equivalent rough surface and the rigid plane. Finally, this model is compared with the static friction model established by Kogut and Etsion (KE model). The results of the proposed model agree well with those of the KE model in the fully elastic contact zone. For the calculation of dry static friction of rough surfaces in contact, previous models have mainly been based on classical contact mechanics; however, this model introduces the potential barrier theory and statistics to address this and provides a new way to calculate unlubricated friction for rough surfaces in contact.