Ice vs. Teflon : coefficent of friction

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Ice exhibits a surprisingly low coefficient of static friction (μs) when compared to materials like Teflon, particularly under certain conditions. This property makes ice slippery, especially when pressure is applied or when it is lubricated with water, which can occur naturally through temperature changes. While ice is commonly recognized for its use in recreational activities such as skating, skiing, and bobsledding, its applications extend beyond these areas. Ice serves as a lubricant in various contexts, including traditional Inuit dogsleds, where a smooth ice coating on runners minimizes drag. Other potential applications include icebreaker hulls, river-bridge foundations, and even roofing and automotive finishes, highlighting the versatility of ice as an anti-friction surface in both recreational and practical uses.
rollingstein
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I knew ice was slippery, but looking at a table of coefficents of friction today it seems that ice on ice yields a lower μs value than even teflon on teflon.

Is that really true? If so, does ice have much of an application as a lubricant or anti friction surface outside of skating rinks?

I was wondering...
 
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Ice is slippery when lubricated with water. Pressure is one way to produce it, the other one is temperature.
 
Application areas: Skis, snowboards, skates, bobsled, luge, iceboats, avalanches, snowblowers, icebreaker hulls, river-bridge foundations, roofing, automotive exterior finishes, etc all concern interfaces to (and within) ice and snow. Traditional Inuit dogsleds use a smooth coating of ice on the runners to reduce drag over both ice and snow.
 

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