Effect of the surface activity of polymers during degradation on the friction and wear of plastic-metal and metal-metal pairs

The results of studies on the reasons why degradation products of polymers migrate into the metal and the metal is transferred into the plastic material during friction are discussed. Saturation of the steel surfaces with the degradation products of the polymers has been shown in the case of electropositive plastic counterbody, and decarbonization of steel surfaces in the case of the electronegative polymeric counterbody; a hypothesis has been put forward on the triboelectric and mechanochemical phenomena for the friction and wear processes of the plastic-metal and metal-metal pairs.