The influence of environment and pressure on the transition to dusting wear of graphite

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Abstract
An examination has been made of the way in which the type of environment and its partial pressure influence the transition to high friction and wear-dusting-of graphite sliding against carbon. It is shown that the onset of dusting is invariably associated with the attainment of a critical temperature at the contacting asperities. This temperature increases with partial pressure of the vapour and, for a series of n-paraffins and alcohols, also increases with molecular size (chain length). From the variations in critical temperature with partial pressure, adsorption energies can be derived and these are broadly consistent with a mechanism of physical adsorption on graphite basal planes. It is suggested that the adsorbed vapour on basal planes functions as a 'reservoir' from which molecules can migrate to neutralise edge sites being continuously exposed during the normal, low-wear regime.

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