Friction on Ice

Abstract

Abstract The friction on ice is strongly dependent on temperature. At sufficiently low temperatures, the frictional resistance on ice is high comparable to those on wet or even dry solid surfaces. As temperature rises and approaches the melting point of ice, however, friction rapidly decreases. Differing from the friction of a rubber on ordinary dry or wet solid surfaces the energy loss processes in the rubber do not seem to be the direct source of the frictional resistance on ice. Although frictional melting of ice could occur at high sliding speeds, an ice surface is inherently lubricated with a persistent mobile fluid layer at relatively high temperatures, near the melting point of ice. When a rubber slides on an ice surface, the fluid layer is sheared and undergoes drag flow. The energy loss process necessary for the frictional resistance takes place primarily in the fluid layer, and not in the rubber. The frictional resistance on ice is primarily determined by the viscosity and the thickness of the lubricating fluid layer. What is required of a rubber for better traction under such a condition is that the rubber surface follows the topography of the ice surface as closely as possible, so that more patches of ice surface can be sheared. Therefore, the rubber has to be sufficiently soft to show high friction on ice. Further improvement of the friction could be obtained by making it more resilient. Thus, a rubber with high friction on ice must be compounded so that the polymer chains maintain a high level of mobility at moderately low temperatures. This can be achieved by using polymers with low glass-transition-temperatures. An increased softener loading level helps to improve friction, but to a limited extent. In order to take maximum advantage of softeners, the choice of softener system is important. A relation common to all the mixed softener systems, except the ones containing high-viscosity softeners, was found to exist between the friction on ice and the solubility parameter of the softener mixture in the rubber. The friction on ice was maximized by selecting a softener system with a solubility parameter near that of the polymers in the rubber. The solubility parameter dependence of the friction was consistent with those of softness and resilience.