Adhesive and non-adhesive contact of a rigid indenter and a thin elastic layer with surface tension

Abstract

We consider an adhesive contact between a thin soft layer on a rigid substrate and a rigid cylindrical indenter ("line contact") with account of the surface tension of the layer. First, it is shown that the boundary condition for the surface outside the contact area is given by the constant contact angle - as in the case of fluids in contact with solid surfaces. In the approximation of thin layer and under usual assumptions of small indentation and small inclination angles of the surface, the problem is solved analytically.