Understanding the mechanical properties of contacts at the nanoscale is key to controlling the strength of coated surfaces. In this work, we explore to which extent existing continuum models describing elastic contacts with coated surfaces can be extended to the nanoscale. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of hollow cylinders or coated rigid cylinders under compression are performed and compared with models at the continuum level, as two representative extreme cases of coating which is substantially harder or softer than the substrate, respectively. We show here that the geometry of the atomic-scale contact is essential to capture the contact stiffness, especially for hollow cylinders with high relative thicknesses and for coated rigid cylinders. The contact pressure profiles in atomic-scale contacts are substantially different than the one proposed in the continuum models for rounded contacts. On the basis of these results, we formulate models whose solution can be computed analytically for the contact stiffness in the two extreme cases, and show how to bridge between the atomic and continuum scales with atomically informed geometry of the contact.
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March 2017
Research-Article
Atomically Informed Continuum Models for the Elastic Contact Properties of Hollow and Coated Rigid Cylinders at the Nanoscale
Leon Gorelik,
Leon Gorelik
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Technion—Israel Institute of Technology,
Haifa 32000, Israel
Technion—Israel Institute of Technology,
Haifa 32000, Israel
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Dan Mordehai
Dan Mordehai
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Technion—Israel Institute of Technology,
Haifa 32000, Israel
Technion—Israel Institute of Technology,
Haifa 32000, Israel
Search for other works by this author on:
Leon Gorelik
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Technion—Israel Institute of Technology,
Haifa 32000, Israel
Technion—Israel Institute of Technology,
Haifa 32000, Israel
Dan Mordehai
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Technion—Israel Institute of Technology,
Haifa 32000, Israel
Technion—Israel Institute of Technology,
Haifa 32000, Israel
Contributed by the Applied Mechanics Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF APPLIED MECHANICS. Manuscript received October 20, 2016; final manuscript received December 1, 2016; published online January 25, 2017. Assoc. Editor: Harold S. Park.
J. Appl. Mech. Mar 2017, 84(3): 031009 (12 pages)
Published Online: January 25, 2017
Article history
Received:
October 20, 2016
Revised:
December 1, 2016
Citation
Gorelik, L., and Mordehai, D. (January 25, 2017). "Atomically Informed Continuum Models for the Elastic Contact Properties of Hollow and Coated Rigid Cylinders at the Nanoscale." ASME. J. Appl. Mech. March 2017; 84(3): 031009. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4035365
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