Research on the friction and wear mechanism of a polymer interface at low temperature based on molecular dynamics simulation.

Two polymers and five metal pairs were tested at six low temperature points and three constant load speeds. The tribological properties were determined by joint iterative coupling of the temperature, load and friction velocity value. Molecular dynamics simulation was used to study the micro-tribological properties of friction pairs at the atomic scale. The macro-tribological performance test results were similar to the results of the molecular dynamics simulation and exhibited the same trend. Two profound hypothermia points were predicted. The evolution of the tribological mechanism and properties of the polymer interface under different working conditions at low temperature were revealed on the macroscopic and atomic scales. [Display omitted] • A friction mechanism researching method based on a combination of macro and micro research was developed. • The macroscopic and microscopic tribological evolution rules of a polymer interface at low temperature were found. • The simulation was applicable to predicting polymer materials' tribological properties and explaining the test phenomena. • This method can be used for researches under harsher conditions and more extreme environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]