Designing Load-Dependency of Static Friction of Elastomer Covered with Mesh Sheets

Abstract

The static friction of compliant elastomers has proven important for industrial applications, including seals, and grips on tools and sports equipment. The design of load-dependent contact state may provide characteristic load-dependent frictional properties beyond that found on conventional rubber surfaces. Here we investigate the static friction, over a wide range of normal loads, between a fat glass surface and polyester meshes adhered on an elastomer surface. At low load the glass is supported only by the mesh members and the static friction is low. As normal load increases, the mesh members tend to dent into the elastomer and at the pore of the mesh the elastomer surface may make contact with the glass. The newly created contact with the elastomer makes the static friction increase with the higher friction coefficient. By tuning the structures, e.g., the aperture ratio, of meshes, we can extend the monotonic load-dependency of static friction of rubbers into the highly nonlinear range.