Adhesive contact and kinetics of adherence between a rigid flat-ended cone and a soft elastomeric body

The equilibrium contact and the kinetics of adherence, at an imposed applied load, of a rigid flat-ended cone in contact with the flat and smooth surface of a soft elastomer sample (unfilled natural rubber) are examined with the help of fracture mechanics concepts. The variation of the dissipation function Phi = (G - w)/w, where G is the strain energy release rate and w the Dupre energy of adhesion, is studied as a function of the crack propagation speed V at the interface between the flat-ended rigid cone and the elastic solid. As expected, a master curve Phi (V) is found, confirming the variation of Phi as the 0.55 power function of V, as recently established by Barquins et al. in adherence experiments, with the same rubber-like material. (C) 2002 Academie des sciences/Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.