Bridging asperity adhesive wear and macroscale material transfer

The adhesive processes of loose debris production and preferential transfer to a high surface energy counterface were modeled using an asperity contact based framework and statistical hypotheses about adhesion, average debris size, and the preferential load support by existing transfer film. Transfer film area fraction evolution of a well-studied ultralow wear polymer solid lubricant strongly supports the model's prediction of geometric growth. Further analyses suggest the model's strong predictability is mathematically independent of debris size, which is also in accordance with leading adhesive wear theories on the critical size of asperity junction and loose debris.

Automated summary

This passage investigates the adhesive processes of loose debris production and transfer to a high surface energy counterface. It proposes a model based on asperity contact and statistical hypotheses, which shows strong predictability in the evolution of transfer film area fraction, independent of debris size.