Fatigue and Tribological Properties of Plastics and Elastomers, 2nd Edition

Chapter 2. Introduction to the Tribology of Plastics and Elastomers

The first chapter of this book was an introduction to fatigue. This chapter is a brief introduction to tribology. There are many texts that deal with this subject in much more detail.^{1. and 2.} Tribology is the science and technology of surfaces in contact with each other and therefore covers friction, lubrication, and wear. Tribological properties are most often of concern when the materials are used in bearing applications. Especially when engineering plastics are used for bearing materials, they must have a suitable combination of mechanical and tribological properties under the conditions experienced in use. The three main performance areas that need to be examined for bearing ...