A COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF THE FRICTIONAL-PROPERTIES OF EMOLLIENT BATH ADDITIVES USING PORCINE SKIN

The coefficient of friction of 14 prescribable bath emollients was det ermined using porcine skin attached to a loaded plunger placed through a bearing in a friction-measuring carriage, held above a reciprocatin g table powered by a DC motor. The carriage was mounted in low-frictio n rollers, and restrained by a piezo-electric force transducer connect ed to an amplifier and recorder. Friction was measured at room tempera ture, and at 45 degrees C. Emulsifying ointment and Bath E45(R) had th e highest coefficients of friction, at room temperature and 45 degrees C, respectively, and Emmolate(R) and Hydromol(R) had the lowest. Nine of the 14 emollients had a lower coefficient of friction at 45 degree s C, one had a coefficient of friction which was the same at both temp eratures, and four had a coefficient of friction which was higher at 4 5 degrees C.