Inelastic Energy Transfer in Particle/Surface Collisions

Abstract

A new theoretical model for the collisional energy transfer between a small solid particle and a smooth solid surface is presented. This model predicts that the critical capture velocity in a normal incidence collision is

where λ is the ratio of the effective inertial mass of the substrate divided by the mass of the particle, d_p is the particle diameter, m_p is the particle mass, Y_y is the yield stress of particle or substrate, whichever is smaller, and w is the Dupre surface energy for the particle/substrate system.