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Related Concept Videos

Adhesion01:14

Adhesion

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Adhesion occurs when one type of molecule is attracted to a different molecule. Water exhibits adhesive properties in the presence of polar surfaces, such as glass or cellulose in plants. For instance, when water is poured into a glass, the positively charged hydrogen molecules of water are more attracted to the negatively charged oxygen molecules in the silica than to the oxygen in neighboring water molecules.
Capillary action is a result of water’s adhesive tendencies. When a narrow...
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Frictional Force01:07

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When a body is in motion, it encounters resistance because the body interacts with its surroundings. This resistance is known as friction, a common yet complex force whose behavior is still not completely understood. Friction opposes relative motion between systems in contact, but also allows us to move. Friction arises in part due to the roughness of surfaces in contact. For one object to move along a surface, it must rise to where the peaks of the surface can skip along the bottom of the...
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Surface Tension
The various IMFs between identical molecules of a substance are examples of cohesive forces. The molecules within a liquid are surrounded by other molecules and are attracted equally in all directions by the cohesive forces within the liquid. However, the molecules on the surface of a liquid are attracted only by about one-half as many molecules. Because of the unbalanced molecular attractions on the surface molecules, liquids contract to form a shape that minimizes the number...
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When a solid is dipped inside a liquid, the liquid surface becomes curved near the contact. For some solid–liquid interfaces, the liquid is pulled up along the solid, while for others, the liquid surface is convex or depressed near the solid surface. This phenomenon can be explained using the concept of cohesive and adhesive forces.
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Characteristics of Dry Friction01:21

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Dry friction occurs when two solid surfaces slide against each other without any lubrication or fluid present. It causes resistance when pushing objects along a surface, like a gardener pushing a wheelbarrow. The force applied to move the cart causes dry friction between the wheel and the ground.
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Dry Friction01:30

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Dry friction occurs between two solid surfaces in contact as they attempt to move relative to one another. In daily life, dry friction is encountered in various forms, such as when walking on the ground, sliding an object across a table, or rubbing hands together. Despite its ubiquity, the underlying mechanisms behind dry friction are not readily visible.
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Atomic Force Microscopy Cantilever-Based Nanoindentation: Mechanical Property Measurements at the Nanoscale in Air and Fluid
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Contact between rough surfaces and a criterion for macroscopic adhesion.

Lars Pastewka1, Mark O Robbins

  • 1Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|February 20, 2014
PubMed
Summary

Roughness significantly reduces atomic contact area, weakening adhesion between surfaces. A new theory explains why most macroscopic surfaces aren't sticky, despite molecular attraction.

Keywords:
contact mechanicssurface roughness

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Area of Science:

  • Tribology
  • Materials Science
  • Surface Physics

Background:

  • Macroscopic surfaces exhibit weak adhesion despite strong molecular attractions.
  • Surface roughness is a key factor influencing adhesive interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how surface roughness affects atomic contact area and adhesion.
  • To develop a theoretical framework explaining adhesion phenomena in rough surfaces.

Main Methods:

  • Extensive simulations of adhesive surfaces with varying roughness (nanometer to micrometer scales).
  • Systematic variation of material properties, adhesive strength, and roughness parameters.
  • Development of a parameter-free analytic theory.

Main Results:

  • Atomic contact area is initially proportional to applied load.
  • A threshold adhesive strength exists, above which surfaces become sticky.
  • The analytic theory accurately describes simulation results across five orders of magnitude in load.

Conclusions:

  • Surface roughness dramatically reduces effective contact area, explaining low macroscopic adhesion.
  • The developed theory reconciles numerical findings and explains the transition to stickiness.
  • Classical theories like Greenwood-Williamson are insufficient due to neglected asperity interactions and adhesion range.