The friction and wear of individual carbon fibres

Abstract

Describes a study of the friction and wear of single carbon fibres rubbing against a rotating cylindrical counterface made of various materials. The observed frictional force and the coefficient of friction derived from the capstan equation are very much higher on smooth than on rough counter-surfaces. The results can be explained in terms of the true area of contact and the adhesion theory of friction, the interfacial shear strength of fibre against steel being of the order of 15-50 MN m-2.