Friction transition in polyimide films as related to molecular relaxations and structure

The friction characteristics of polyimide films bonded to metallic substrates were studied from 25 to 500 C. These results were correlated to molecular structure and the results of torsional braid analysis (TBA). A large friction transition (0.23 to 0.03) was found to occur at 45 C + or - 5 C. It was postulated that this transition was initiated by some molecular relaxation, which gave the molecules a degree of freedom by which an external mechanical stress could rearrange the molecules into a structure, such as an extended chain, which is conducive to easy shear. Above 300 C the friction characteristics were found to be dependent on the thermal prehistory of the film.