초록
O-rings are commonly used in machines as a seal. Due to prolonged use the surface of an O-ring can degrade which can lead to leakage as well as contamination. Damage of O-rings used in vacuum applications such as sputter is caused by various mechanisms. Particles detached from the O-ring may cause significant problems on the performance of the system in the vacuum chamber. Therefore, understanding the tribological behavior of O-rings is important to tackle the damage caused by repeated contact. In this work, FKM rubber was used for friction and wear tests conducted to investigate the tribological behavior of O-rings. A reciprocating type of a tribo-tester was used for the tests. The friction coefficient between the steel ball and the FKM specimen was quite high. Also, in order to identify the wear behavior, the surface of the FKM specimen was characterized using both optical and scanning electron microscopes. Evidence of wear due to adhesion and extrusion could be found. The results of this work will aid in improving the durability of O-rings.