Comments on old and recent theories and experiments of adhesion of a soft solid to a rough hard surface

Abstract

The old asperity model of Fuller and Tabor had demonstrated almost 50 years ago surprisingly good correlation with respect to quite a few experiments on the pull-off decay due to roughness of rubber spheres against roughened Perspex plates. We revisit here some features of the Fuller and Tabor model in view of the more recent theories and experiments, finding good correlation can be obtained only at intermediate resolutions, as perhaps in stylus profilometers. In general we confirm qualitatively the predictions of the Persson & Tosatti and Bearing Area Model of Ciavarella, as stickiness depends largely on the long wavelength content of roughness, and not the fine features.