Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 8, 2026
07:47
Experimental Protocol to Investigate Particle Aerosolization of a Product Under Abrasion and Under Environmental Weathering
Published on: September 16, 2016
7.8K
High-Velocity Impact of Polymer Aerosol Particles on Soft Substrates: Experiments and Simulations
Marc C Thiel1, Hongyu Gao2, Matthias B B Brzoska1,3
1Chair of Polymer Materials, Campus C 4.2, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|December 11, 2025
Summary
This study investigates polymer powder aerosol deposition (PAD), revealing that particle deformation, not fragmentation, is key for thin film formation. Understanding viscoplastic flow aids in designing efficient polymer PAD systems.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Surface Science
- Polymer Science
Background:
- Powder Aerosol Deposition (PAD) is a sustainable, solvent-free thin film deposition technique.
- PAD has potential for creating functional and multi-layered coatings from polymers and ceramics.
- Understanding particle-substrate interactions is crucial for optimizing PAD processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the high-velocity impact of polystyrene (PS) particles on polymer substrates during PAD.
- To elucidate the initial stages of particle deformation and adhesion in polymer PAD.
- To identify material properties and design principles for efficient polymer PAD systems.
Main Methods:
- Experimental investigation using a PAD setup for single-particle impacts.
- Molecular dynamics simulations with systematic variation of particle diameter and impact velocity.
- Comparison of simulated particle shapes with experimental atomic force microscopy data.
Main Results:
- Simulated particle shapes after impact agree well with experimental observations.
- Particles deform into cylindrical domes, characteristic of yield-stress fluid impacts.
- Impact velocity estimation and deformation mechanism reveal temperature-induced viscoplastic flow.
- PS adhesion and deformation on polymer substrates are dominated by viscoplastic flow, unlike ceramic systems or cold spray.
Conclusions:
- Polymer PAD is governed by viscoplastic deformation, not fragmentation or adiabatic shear instabilities.
- Efficient polymer PAD is favored by materials with high plastic deformability.
- The study provides insights into material properties for designing future polymer PAD systems.
