On the nature of surface roughness with application to contact mechanics, sealing, rubber friction and adhesion

TL;DR

This paper explores how the surface roughness power spectrum influences contact mechanics, sealing, rubber friction, and adhesion, providing empirical data and demonstrating its significance in practical applications.

Contribution

It introduces detailed surface roughness power spectra from measurements and shows their critical role in modeling contact and adhesion phenomena.

Findings

Power spectrum determines contact area between solids.

Surface roughness significantly affects sealing and friction.

Empirical spectra are essential for accurate modeling.

Abstract

Surface roughness has a huge impact on many important phenomena. The most important property of rough surfaces is the surface roughness power spectrum C(q). We present surface roughness power spectra of many surfaces of practical importance, obtained from the surface height profile measured using optical methods and the Atomic Force Microscope. We show how the power spectrum determines the contact area between two solids. We also present applications to sealing, rubber friction and adhesion for rough surfaces, where the power spectrum enters as an important input.