English Abstract

Chemical Aspect of Rubber Abrasion Asahiro AHAGON R & D Center, The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., Hiratsuka, Kanagawa, Japan Nippon Gomu Kyokaishi,(2006),79(10),500-506 General Review in Japanese Abstract The phenomena in rubber abrasion reported in the literature are reviewed from chemical aspect, as suggested by the formation of oily and roll-shaped debris, the variations of the effects of antioxidant with frictional force and the oxygen content in the environment, the high oxygen absorption by wear debris, etc. The phenomena can be consistently explained in terms of mechanochemical degradation taking place in the surface layer under frictional force. Although the mechanochemical feature is most apparent at lower frictional forces where wear is slow, it appears to exist latently even at larger frictional forces where wear is fast. The bimodal size distribution of wear debris is considered as the indication such that the larger debris are formed by the fracture in the depths and the smaller ones are formed by the detachment of the mechanochemically degraded layer from the surface. Nevertheless, the wear rate is determined by fracture or crack growth at larger frictional forces, and by mechanochemical degradation at lower frictional forces. It is considered important to select a proper condition to reflect the major mechanism, which would be operative for the products, when simulation of wear in the field is to be made in the laboratory. Keywords: Abrasion, Mechanochemical Reaction, Debris, Abrasion Pattern.

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