Institute of Fundamental Technological Research

As the critical feature of the stick-slip for soft materials, the interfacial Schallamach waves of flexible composite structures are essential for smart tactile sensors to realize sliding perception. Herein, the Schallamach waves of polydimethylsiloxane film/substrate bilayer structures with three substrate stiffnesses regulated by porosities are investigated by setting up in-situ sliding tests and establishing finite element models with mixed-mode cohesive contact. Inhomogeneity in microcontact stiffness disrupts the continuity and synchronization of the Schallamach waves, resulting in non-periodic fluctuations in the contact force. The buckling phenomenon of the film structure marks the transition from stick to slip. This buckling induces a shift at the crack front from normal compressive stress to tensile stress, leading to mixed-mode damage.

Stick-slip,Polydimethylsiloxane film/substrate bilayer structures,Schallamach wave,In-situ sliding test,Mixed-mode cohesive contact model