On the kinetics of peeling of an adhesive tape under a constant imposed load

The peeling of an adhesive tape is studied when a constant applied load is clamped to its extremity. Three different regimes are observed, as in the peeling at constant speed, previously studied (Maugis, D. and Barquins, M. in 'Adhesion 12' (Ed. K.W. Alien) Elsevier Applied Science, London, 1988, pp. 205-222). If applied loads are small, the peeling is stable and it increases at increasing load so that the strain energy release rate varies as a power function of the peeling speed, as already found (Barquins, M., Khandani, B. and Maugis, D. C.R. Acad Sci. Paris. 1986, 303, 1517). When the applied load reaches a critical value, a velocity jump is observed whereas the peeling becomes jerky with emission of a characteristic noise. This phenomenon of self sustained oscillations (stick-slip) is well-known. When applied loads are high, the peeling regime is stable again, and the speed increases slowly at increasing load. The new phenomenon which is exhibited in this study is that during the jerky mode of peeling, the mean value of the peeling speed remains constant whatever the applied load in a large range. Moreover, the stick-slip is characterized by simultaneous light-wave and acoustic emissions which have been recorded. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Limited.