Study on friction behavior of fabric-silicone rubber composites under dry/wet sliding environment

The dry/wet environment's effects on the sliding friction properties of fabric-silicone rubber composites are studied, and the wear resistance of polyester fabric is evaluated. The yarn directions of the fabrics (inner and outer) have significant influence on the coefficient of friction (COF) of fabric-silicone rubber composites during sliding friction due to the difference in fabric texture and yarn modulus. The COF's variation laws of fabric-silicone rubber composites under different vertical loads and sliding rates are observed, respectively. Additionally, the outer fabric is more sensitive to the changes of vertical loads than those of the sliding rates under the wet environment, which can be attributed to the destruction of the fabric original structure by high load, resulting in the fabric fibers' pulling and breaking during the steel ball's sliding. This study provides new ideas for the design of fabric-silicone rubber composites applied in friction conditions and complex environments.