The mechanism of sliding friction wear in polycrystalline solids

A new micromechanical model describing the sliding friction wear of polycrystalline solids is proposed. The model is consistent with a hypothesis suggested previously, according to which the transition from intensive to moderate wear (for the nonconforming bodies in sliding friction contact) is related to attaining a definite, sufficiently small shear strain rate at the friction surface, depending on the absolute value of the normal force applied to the friction contact. In addition, the model explains some well-known empirical relationships between the wear intensity and friction coefficient for steel on steel in a wide range of loads and pressures in the friction contact.