ON THE KINETICS OF PEELING OF AN ADHESIVE TAPE AT IMPOSED APPLIED LOAD

The peeling of an adhesive tape is studied when a constant applied loa d is clamped to its extremity. Three different regimes are observed, a s in the peeling at constant speed, previously studied (Maugis and Bar quins, 1988). If applied loads are small, the peeling is stable and it increases at increasing load so that the strain energy release rate v aries as a power function of the peeling speed, as already found (Barq uins et al., 1986). When the applied load reaches a critical value, a velocity jump is observed whereas the peeling becomes jerky with emiss ion of a characteristic noise. This phenomenon of self sustained oscil lations (stick-slip) is well-known. When applied loads are high, the p eeling regime is stable again, and the speed increases slowly at incre asing load. The new phenomenon which is exhibited in this study is tha t during the jerky mode of peeling, the mean value of the peeling spee d remains constant whatever the applied load in a large range. Moreove r, the stick-slip is characterized by simultaneous light-wave and acou stic emissions which have been recorded.