Irreversibility of friction and wear processes

Ways of energy dissipation by friction are analysed from a thermodynamic perspective. The non-equilibrium and irreversibility of processes in tribological systems are found to be sufficient conditions for energy dissipation. M. Planck’s currently prevailing opinion that mechanical work can be converted into heat without limitations, e.g., by means of heat, is demonstrated not to apply to the friction of solids subject to wear. Ranges of work conversion into friction heat are determined. The generation of tribological wear particles is dependent on work of mechanical dissipation and its components – surface and volume work. A friction pair or its fragments, where energy is directly dissipated, are treated as open thermodynamic systems. The processes in place are described with the first law of thermodynamics equation. The effect of friction heat and the work of mechanical dissipation on variations of internal energy, enthalpy, and energy transferred to the environment as heat are defined. These dependences should be addressed when planning and interpreting tribological tests.