Capillary adhesion can indirectly contribute to friction, especially at smooth interfaces in humid environments. Few experiments have addressed the mechanisms underlying the capillary adhesion dependence of friction at multi-asperity interfaces. Two main complications are that direct measurement of the adhesive force is prevented by the storage of elastic energy at stiff multi-asperity interfaces and that friction experiments induce wear which in turn influences the adhesion. Here, we will focus on scaling the capillary adhesion findings from single asperity to multi-asperity interfaces, and investigating the capillary adhesion dependence of friction. In this project, Macroscopic silicon-on-silicon friction experiments will be performed in humid environments. Parallel to these experiments, contact calculations based on AFM topography data obtained on the experimental surfaces will be used to provide insight into the interaction between capillary adhesion, surface topography and friction.
Contact: Liang Peng (L.Peng@uva.nl)