Without adequate friction in common rubber products, everyday actions can become much more dangerous.
Consider the difference between navigating an icy walkway and a bare sidewalk. Adequate friction can mean the difference between a leisurely stroll and a trip to the emergency department.
There are a number of different factors that can influence the amount of friction between two surfaces, including tread, lubricants present between two surfaces and sliding conditions, including speed. The effects of these variables have been studied a great deal for rubber, which is commonly used in everyday products, such as wiper blades and pencil erasers, for both its friction and elasticity. What hasn’t been systematically studied, however, are ways in which the friction of rubber can be improved under lubrication, such as water or oil.
To address this issue, a group of researchers from Tohoku University compiled a comprehensive survey of the current methods available to improve rubber friction in the presence of lubricants. The group categorizes each approach and outlines both the strengths and weaknesses of each method to promote integration of these methods for improved friction and safety.
The team published their review on April 29 in the journal Friction , published by Tsinghua University Press.
“The friction coefficient of rubber decreases under liquid lubrication, potentially affecting safety and reliability. For example, the frictional properties of tires on wet roads directly affect automobile safety. The friction properties of shoe soles help determine the risk of slip-and-fall accidents. Enhancing rubber friction under lubrication is important for preventing accidents and improving reliability,” said Arata Ishizako, assistant professor in the Graduate School of Engineering at Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan.
The friction coefficient of rubber, or the value that quantifies the amount of grip between rubber and another surface, can be enhanced in a variety of different ways, but designers must consider how the product will eventually be used.
“Design guidelines for enhancing rubber friction under lubrication can be categorized into approaches that improve drainage, increase hysteresis friction, control surface free energy, and utilize fluid pressure, among others. However, these methods have their respective strengths and weaknesses depending on the environment. A tread pattern that provides high friction under certain conditions does not necessarily perform the same under different lubrication conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate friction from a multifaceted perspective, taking into account the interactions between multiple approaches,” said Ishizako.
Specifically, increasing the hysteresis friction of leather increases the amount of energy released as heat when rubber deforms and bounces back to its original shape, and controlling rubber surface free energy alters the rubber surface to promote dewetting. Suction can also be used in some circumstances to increase rubber friction in the presence of liquid.
Ultimately, the research team created their review to help scientists more efficiently improve the safety of products used in society on a daily basis in the presence of lubricants, such as oil and water, that we frequently encounter and can compromise rubber grip. Importantly, researchers will need to account for interactions that can increase rubber friction in some ways while simultaneously decreasing friction in others.
“Previous research has primarily focused on the effects of individual factors; however, this approach has its limitations when it comes to friction under lubricated conditions, where multiple factors interact with one another. The next step in enhancing friction performance is to evaluate friction from a more multifaceted perspective, taking into account the interactions between various factors. In the future, it will be necessary to comprehensively assess the effects of these factors and propose guidelines for the optimal design of rubber products suitable for the required lubrication conditions,” said Ishizako.
Toshiaki Nishi from the Graduate School of Engineering at Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan; and Takeshi Yamaguchi from the Graduate School of Engineering at Tohoku University and the Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering at Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan also contributed to this research.
D OI Link:
https://doi.org/10.26599/FRICT.2025.9441202
Friction
Enhancing friction in rubber treads under lubrication: A review
29-Apr-2026