On the effort to discriminate the principal function of tribofilm on friction under the boundary lubrication condition

Friction coefficient under boundary lubrication conditions is affected by many factors. In order to study the friction characteristic of tribofilm, friction coefficient of tribofilm formed on steel disk under the boundary lubrication conditions was separately measured under dry condition using a laboratory-made micro-tribometer to eliminate the hydrodynamic lubrication action of fluid. This paper introduces the approaching method to understand the friction characteristic of tribofilm. In this paper, sliding speed dependency of friction exerted by tribofilm was observed that could not be interpreted by the classical boundary lubrication mechanisms. The additives having long alkyl chain showed strong sliding speed dependency of friction.