Skip to main content

Table Tennis: Effect of Humidity on Racket Rubber Tribology

Tribology Letters volume 69, Article number: 31 (2021) Cite this article

Abstract

In contrast to a flourishing development of racket rubber coverings, or rubbers, no technical data can be found on their performance under different environmental conditions. In light of this, here we report an experimental study on the frictional response of four different popular rubbers, with pimples-in and pimples-out gometry, tested against three different balls at five levels of relative humidity. It is found that the humidity does affect the frictional characteristics of the rubbers, with all parameters being responsive to changes in the environmental conditions and reaching maximum at the humidity of about 45–60% in a majority of the cases. Probably the most interesting finding is that the ball surface finish has significant effect on the frictional response of all rubbers. This can provide players with the ability to affect the rubber performance at different levels of humidity by simply choosing between different balls.

Graphic Abstract

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

References

  1. ITTF: ITTF Equipment: record number of rubbers online! https://www.ittf.com/2019/10/10/ittf-equipment-record-number-rubbers-online/ (2019). Accessed Sep 2020

  2. Maughan, R.J., Otani, H., Watson, P.: Influence of relative humidity on prolonged exercise capacity in a warm environment. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. 112, 2313–2321 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Tsutsumi, H., Tanabe, S.-I., Harigaya, J., Iguchi, Y., Nakamura, G.: Effect of humidity on human comfort and productivity after step changes from warm and humid environment. Build. Environ. 42, 4034–4042 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Mjamja: Humidity Beat Me (not my opponent). http://mytabletennis.net/forum/humidity-beat-me-not-my-opponent_topic73813.html (2015). Accessed Oct 2020

  5. Harrison, J.R.: Recent problems with equipment. Int. J. Table Tennis Sci 5, 96–100 (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Yoshizawa, H., Chen, Y.L., Israelachvili, J.: Fundamental mechanisms of interfacial friction. 1. Relation between adhesion and friction. J Phys. Chem. 97, 4128–4140 (1993)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Jung, Y.C., Bhushan, B.: Contact angle, adhesion and friction properties of micro-and nanopatterned polymers for superhydrophobicity. Nanotechnology 17, 4970 (2006)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Feiler, A.A., Jenkins, P., Rutland, M.W.: Effect of relative humidity on adhesion and frictional properties of micro-and nano-scopic contacts. J. Adhes. Sci. Technol. 19, 165–179 (2005)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Burton, Z., Bhushan, B.: Hydrophobicity, adhesion, and friction properties of nanopatterned polymers and scale dependence for micro-and nanoelectromechanical systems. Nano Lett. 5, 1607–1613 (2005)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Puthoff, J.B., Prowse, M.S., Wilkinson, M., Autumn, K.: Changes in materials properties explain the effects of humidity on gecko adhesion. J. Exp. Biol. 213, 3699–3704 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Johnson, K.L., Johnson, K.L.: Contact Mechanics. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1987)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Abbott, E., Firestone, F.: Specifying surface quality: a method based on accurate measurement and comparison. Spie Milestone Series MS 107, 63–63 (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Varenberg, M., Varenberg, A.: Table tennis rubber: tribological characterization. Tribol. Lett. 47, 51–56 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Varenberg, M., Varenberg, A.: Table tennis: preliminary displacement in pimples-out rubber. Tribol. Lett. 53, 101–105 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Mo, Y., Turner, K.T., Szlufarska, I.: Friction laws at the nanoscale. Nature 457, 1116–1119 (2009)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Kligerman, Y., Varenberg, M.: Elimination of stick-slip motion in sliding of split or rough surface. Tribol. Lett. 53, 395–399 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Wu, Y., Leamy, M.J., Varenberg, M.: Minimizing self-oscillation in belt drives: Surface texturing. Tribol. Int. 145, 106157 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Schallamach, A.: How does rubber slide? Wear 17, 301–312 (1971)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Wu, Y., Leamy, M.J., Varenberg, M.: Schallamach waves in rolling: Belt drives. Tribol. Int. 119, 354–358 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Murarash, B., Itovich, Y., Varenberg, M.: Tuning elastomer friction by hexagonal surface patterning. Soft Matter 7, 5553–5557 (2011)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Murarash, B., Varenberg, M.: Tribometer for in situ scanning electron microscopy of microstructured contacts. Tribol. Lett. 41, 319–323 (2011)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Derjaguin, B.: Molecular theory of friction and sliding. Zhurn. Phis. Khim (in Russian) 5, 1165–1172 (1934)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Derjaguin, B., Toporov, Y.P.: Influence of adhesion on the sliding and rolling friction. Prog. Surf. Sci. 45, 317–327 (1994)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Lian, C., Lee, K.-H., Lee, C.-H.: Effect of temperature and relative humidity on friction and wear properties of silicone-based magnetorheological elastomer. Tribol. Trans. 61, 238–246 (2018)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Klüppel, M., Heinrich, G.: Rubber friction on self-affine road tracks. Rubber Chem. Technol. 73, 578–606 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Yuichi Tsuchiya (Tamasu Co., Japan) for providing the racket coverings and balls used in this study. This work was funded by the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA

    Y. Wu & M. Varenberg

  2. Independent Researcher, 7 Trumpeldor Str, 32583, Haifa, Israel

    A. Varenberg

Authors
  1. Y. Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. Varenberg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. Varenberg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Varenberg.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wu, Y., Varenberg, A. & Varenberg, M. Table Tennis: Effect of Humidity on Racket Rubber Tribology. Tribol Lett 69, 31 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-021-01404-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-021-01404-2

Keywords

  • Ping pong
  • Racket covering
  • Friction
  • Stickiness
  • Grip