Friction properties of cork

The friction coefficient, , of cork sliding on another material (glass and steel in most experiments and also cork) was measured for various compressive stresses and sliding velocities. There is a strong effect of stress and a negligible effect of velocity on the friction coefficient. Values of are in the range 0.4 to 1.2. The effect of moisture content of cork was also evaluated. For dry cork (6% moisture content) there is anisotropy of the friction coefficient related to the orientation of the sliding plane of cork, with larger values for sliding in the tangential plane (compression in the radial direction) as compared to sliding in planes perpendicular to this. At larger moisture contents, the anisotropy of decreases. No in-plane of sliding anisotropy was detected. The friction coefficients for sliding on glass and on steel are comparable, but an effect of roughness was detected. The friction coefficients for sliding on glass and on steel are comparable, but an effect of roughness was detected. The friction against cork is large, with close to unity. The interplay between the friction coefficient and the compression properties of cork is discussed. © 1998 Chapman & Hall