title: An automated high throughput tribometer for adhesion, wear, and friction measurements.
abstract: Understanding the origin and correlation of different surface properties under a multitude of operating conditions is critical in tribology. Diverse tribological properties and a lack of a single instrument to measure all make it difficult to compare and correlate properties, particularly in light of the wide range of interfaces commonly investigated. In the current work, a novel automated tribometer has been designed and validated, providing a unique experimental platform capable of high throughput adhesion, wear, kinetic friction, and static friction measurements. The innovative design aspects are discussed that allow for a variety of probes, sample surfaces, and testing conditions. Critical components of the instrument and their design criteria are described along with examples of data collection schemes. A case study is presented with multiple surface measurements performed on a set of characteristic substrates. Adhesion, wear, kinetic friction, and static friction are analyzed and compared across surfaces, highlighting the comprehensive nature of the surface data that can be generated using the automated high throughput tribometer.
authors.affiliation: Core R&D, Dow Chemical, Midland, Michigan 48674, USA. vkalihari@dow.com
authors.forename: Vivek
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kalihari
authors.forename: Shannon J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Timpe
authors.forename: Lyle
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McCarty
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ninke
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Whitehead
mesh_terms: D001331:Automation; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D032701:Biomimetics; D004867:Equipment Design; D017276:Friction; D007700:Kinetics; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000295:instrumentation; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods; D013499:Surface Properties; D000267:Tissue Adhesions
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials