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Surface Tension regularizes the Crack Singularity of Adhesive Contacts (1508.03588v1)
Published 14 Aug 2015 in cond-mat.soft
Abstract: The elastic and adhesive properties of a solid surface can be quantified by indenting it with a rigid sphere. Indentation tests are classically described by the JKR-law when the solid is very stiff, while recent work highlights the importance of surface tension for exceedingly soft materials. Here we show that surface tension plays a crucial role even for stiff solids: it regularizes the crack-like singularity at the edge of the contact. We find that the edge region exhibits a universal, self-similar structure that emerges from the balance of surface tension and elasticity. The similarity theory provides a complete description for adhesive contacts, reconciling the global adhesion laws and local contact mechanics.