Adhesion characteristics of gold surfaces

Abstract

Measurement of the contact area between a gold coated glass ball and a Polyurethane surface during a pull-off test at constant load allows one to show that the energy of adhesion corresponds to that of a low energy surface. These results, which seem equally valid for other elastomers, rubber-based adhesives and even epoxy adhesives, throw doubt on our understanding of the adhesion process. If the cause of the low surface energy measured over inorganic surfaces is an adsorbed layer, the latter is not displaced by the adhesive. © 1986 World Gold Council.