Abstract

The direct measurement of interfacial separation between rough solids is hitherto one of the most challenging tasks in contact mechanics. This paper develops an optical interferometric technique for in-situ measuring interfacial separation with nanoscale precision. For the contact of metallic samples, the evolutions of interfacial separation and stiffness with load are measured. In the loading process, the dependence of interfacial stiffness on load can be described by a power law with the exponent smaller than unity at low loads and larger than unity at large loads. Similar relations have been found for unloading but interrupted with a linear relation at intermediate loads. These characteristics are significantly different from those known for rough elastic solids, and provide new insights in tribology.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.