Investigation on the Friction Mechanism and Its Relation to the Force Chains during Powder Compaction

Abstract

In this study, the friction mechanism and its relation to the force chains during powder compaction were analyzed by using the discrete element method. The results showed that the macroscopic friction coefficient initially increased and then remained steady at different compaction velocities. The particle slip ratio had the same evolution law as that of the friction coefficient. The microscopic friction coefficient underwent a similar evolution as the macroscopic friction coefficient, but the change process exhibited differences. The ratios of the strong contacts on the sidewall had different increasing processes at different compaction velocities. The evolution of the force chains can affect the evolution of the macroscopic friction coefficient according to the structure of the force chains and distribution of the large friction resistance particles. This study reveals the friction behavior in powder compaction based on granular matter and estimates the influence of mesoscopic force chains on the friction behavior.