INITIAL WEAR RATES OF SOFT METALLIC-FILMS

A theoretical expression was derived for the initial wear rates of hard conical asperities ploughing a soft metallic film. The theory yields a wear equation similar to the well-known existing empirical formula, although the new wear coefficient K appears to be dominated by the surface topography of the system rather than by the material properties. The initial wear rates of the film appear to be determined by the system rather than by the material. The general characteristics of the model are confirmed by experimental results for the initial wear rates of ion-plated tin and lead films. © 1979.