Experimental Characterization of Micro-Friction on a Mica Surface Using the Lateral Motion and Force Measurement Capability of an Instrumented Indenter

An experimental characterization of friction forces between asymmetric surfaces in the micro-regime is presented. The lateral motion and force-measurement capability of an instrumented indenter (triboindenter) is characterized and explored for determining friction properties at low velocities. Friction experiments are performed using the triboindenter with high repeatability. It is observed that real-time depth measurements closely follow the Hertzian prediction. Friction spikes with magnitudes depending on the drive velocity input are observed with peak friction force increasing with the dwell time. Anisotropy is observed between surfaces of different materials with stick-slip occurring only at specific relative orientations. Directions for expanding the current range of the triboindenter to obtain data from the nano to the macro scale are also presented.