ICE ADHESION

Abstract

Results of shear tests for the system ice – stainless steel and ice – optically flat fused quartz as a function of the rate of shear and roughness of the steel surfaces are presented. The adhesive strength decreased with decreasing roughness of steel surfaces, and the force versus time curves for smooth steel plates resembled those of two solids sliding over each other with a liquid layer between them. This behavior was especially evident in the case of the optically flat quartz. The adhesive strength as a function of rate of shear was linear for both ice – stainless steel and ice – quartz but there were indications of yield values. The results agree with the assumption of a liquidlike layer on ice. Ratios of viscosity coefficient to layer thickness were evaluated for both systems, and viscosity coefficients are estimated. Shear experiments on thin water films between glass plates support the assumption of a liquidlike layer on ice. The importance of interfacial free energy considerations is pointed out.