Effect of Various Properties of FCC Metals on Their Adhesion as Studied with LEED

Abstract

The forces of adhesion for various face-centered-cubic metals after surface contact were measured. Surfaces were examined with LEED before and after contact to determine nature of surface changes resulting from adhesive contact. The results of the study indicate that elastic properties of metals can be related to cohesion, adhesion and the character of surface transfer with adhesion. LEED indicated that, for some material pairs studied, epitaxial transfer may occur. It was also found that the addition of a small concentration of alloying element (aluminum to copper in this study) markedly increased adhesion. Surface orientation was observed to have substantial influence on adhesive force. With gold contacting copper, the force of adhesion to the (100) surface of gold was in the following order for the various copper orientations: (HO) > (100) > (111). The amount of metal transferred from one surface to another was found to be related to applied force of adhesion.